There is so much out there regarding Alex DeBrincat and his contract desires with the Ottawa Senators. Sportsnet is really suggesting they're heading to a trade, but other sources (which may be less reliable) suggest he is claiming he liked playing for the Senators. What do people on here think? Any legitimacy to the new rumours of him wanting to stay, or is it just to try and leverage position for a better contract somewhere else?

Furthermore, even if he does indicate he wants to stay, should Ottawa bother keeping him? His cap hit is very high and would make it difficult next year to resign Sanderson (let alone Pinto and Brannstrom this year). Should he be moved to get a cheaper top-6 winger and goaltending depth?

Moving him to get a cheaper top-6 winger and goaltending depth sounds like a good strategy to me, but I don't know if it's possible. The best they can probably hope for is a Pierre-Luc Dubois type trade, which might just kick the can down the road because the two young guys Winnipeg got were unsigned RFAs, which is what DeBrincat is. And that assumes they can find a team he's willing to sign with that is willing to pay him something like 8x8+. If he won't sign with anybody now, they're not going to get a good return for him because he'll just be a one-year rental.