from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,
Expectations are that if the Senators and DeBrincat don’t come to agreement on a contract extension soon, he’s likely to be on the move to a new team before the conclusion of the NHL entry draft....
Obviously for starters, DeBrincat fills a pressing need. He is a natural goal scorer. He’s potted no less than 27 goals in five of his six NHL seasons.
Yzerman has found success in the past by adding former Blackhawks forwards. Dominik Kubalik was a 20-goal scorer this season and Pius Suter has proven to be a useful utility foward who’s hit double digits in goals in both of his seasons with the Red Wings.
DeBrincat was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Perhaps a homecoming is something that he would find to be appealing.
At 5-foot-8 and 178 pounds, DeBrincat would be adding another undersized player to a team that is already on the small side. Both Lalonde and Yzerman were acknowledging that another pertinent offseason mission is to make the Red Wings into a team that is consistently harder to play against.
“We got to be a more physical team,” Yzerman said. “We got to be a more competitive team. That doesn’t necessarily mean I got to go out and get somebody who’s 6-6, 250, to go out and beat people up.
“Go out and win puck battles, block shots, win faceoffs. All those little things make a team more competitive. We have to improve in all those areas.”
If DeBrincat becomes available and agrees to an extension in principle--absolutely--bring him here. 25-40 goal scorer. Local kid. Under club control. 25 yrs old. The downside is giving Ottawa top picks that might alleviate their cap issues by allowing them to round out their roster with ELC's in 2-3 yrs.
I can see DeBrincat becoming available because Ottawa has some serious talent that will need $$$$ (Pinto, DeBrincat, Sanderson, Sogaard, and Chychrun)--but they've already got 4 guys making around 8M, another at 6.5M, and two more around 5M:
Stutzle $8.35M x 8 yrs left,
Brady Tkachuk $8.2M x 5 yrs left,
Chabot $8M x 5 yrs left,
Joshua Norris $7.95M x 7 yrs left
Giroux $6.5M x 2 yrs left,
Drake Batherson $4.98M x 4 yrs left
Artem Zub $4.6M x 4 yrs left
This summer need to sign:
Shane Pinto (20 yrs old, 2nd round #32 overall, 20 goal scorer, not arbitration eligible and can't sign offer sheets)
Erik Brannstrom (23 yrs old, 1st round #15 overall)
Travis Hamonic (32 yrs old, 6 goals past season)
DeBrincat (25 yrs old, 27-41 goal seasons in each of the last 3 yrs, RFA with arbitration and offer sheet rights)
While reserving money for summer of 2024
Jake Sanderson (21 yrs old RFA by then, 1st round #5 overall, 32 point d-man, might not be arbitration nor offer sheet eligible)
Mads Sogaard (23 yrs old RFA by then, 2nd round #37 overall, NHL rookie of the month in Feb '23)
Lassi Thomson (23 yrs old RFA by then, 1st round #19 overall, 5 pts in 18 NHL games but a RHD)
Summer 2025
Jakob Chychrun (27 yrs old UFA by then, 1st round #16 aka KH's pipe dream of getting Stamkos)
Ridly Greig (22 yrs old RFA, 1st round #28, 9 pts in 20 NHL games)
I cannot see any possible way SY will pay DeBrincat more than Larkin.
When Larkin becomes a 41 goal scorer then he can complain.
40 goal scorers get paid a premium in the league. Simple as that.
That doesnt necessarily mean I got to go out and get somebody whos 6-6, 250, to go out and beat people up.
Yes it does steve. This team turtled against Ottawa in two games they badly needed to win.
This is my problem with this team and its player leadership. That kind of pushback needs to come from inside the room. Its the NHL. The players dont get it. People on this site crack me up. First theyre upset the Wings dont have a 40 goal scorer, then out of the other side of their mouth say they should waste a spot on a guy who will fight every night and is also somehow a magical unicorn of a player who can keep up in the modern NHL.
There are players that do play with bite that score. Maybe they dont score 40 but none of the guys on the team currently do so in your unicorn team they all suck I guess.
Tom Wilson, anybody?
👍
Hahah you beat me to it, PooBah - let's either give Soderblom boxing lessons or make a move for Tanner Jeannot.
True, as my Wife would say when we attended Red Wing games, "They are being thrown around like rag dolls".
I'll say this again and again - getting rid of Vrana was a big mistake. That guy is gonna score 40 goals next season and filling that hole is going to cost us. I get the whole character issue but man the guy proved himself and we shat on him anyway.
Nobody knows the full story. He could just as easily end up in rehab or show up injured again.
If anything, the Wings shouldve kept him and let him and his agent know that if there was any more BS, they would terminate his deal like Mike Richards, let an arbitrator sort it out if need be, and basically everyone would know and that for sure would mean his NHL career was over for good.
Either they didnt think of this (bad), or they did and decided Vrana still had to go (worse). It is what it is. Hes gone.
NHLPA assistance program protects from this very scenario.
All Vrana would have to do is step foot in a councilors office and the Wings would be stuck like last year. Thats the whole point of the program.
Say one word of that nonsense above and watch the court injunctions roll in.
show up injured? prove it. Injury was re-aggravated 10 mins into training camp. Physicals are preformed prior to stepping on the ice (or they should be). Team doctor cleared himhes all good. At least thats how the law views it (which is probably why mgmt felt so betrayed).
The Wings (and Capitals) both moved on from the player because of off-ice concerns. Given the Capitals issues with other players cocaine usage a few years ago (as documented by social media videos and stills plus NHL suspensions) and Vranas use of the NHL assistance program: speculation will always follow.
Fans here seem to be forgetting about SYs comments about being hard on pucks and winning puck battlessomething that even in his prime Vrana was severely lacking.
It was clear mgmt wanted Vrana as far from the locker roomS (Detroits and GRs) as possible and only played him to showcase him before the trade deadline.
He cleared waivers so they got what they could even if it meant burning 1 of 3 salary retentionsbut more importantly got him away from other players.
And for a 7th rounder?! That's like kicking the guy in the ass out to door to STL
Totally agree
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