Alex DeBrincat Unlikely To Sign Extension With Senators?

Alex DeBrincat Unlikely To Sign Extension With Senators?

Could Ottawa find themselves in a Matthew Tkachuk situation a year from now? It’s certainly trending that way. The Senators pulled off a heist trading for Alex DeBrincat but how long will he play in Ottawa for? It’s a fair question to start asking.

Scott Powers of The Athletic reports (subscription link don’t click. I’ll show the necessary information below) that DeBrincat has shown very little interest in working out a long term extension with his new team:

“From what I understand, DeBrincat didn’t want to agree to an extension before being traded to Ottawa. The fact that DeBrincat still doesn’t have an extension with Ottawa speaks volumes, too. I would think he’d already have one finalized if that’s he was convinced he wanted to remain.”

Well, then. The thing that sucks for some of these Canadian teams is that the players get taxed out the ass. In the USA, pick the right spot and you have zero state tax. It’s an enormous reason why Tkachuk left Calgary for Florida. Ottawa could find themselves in the same spot with DeBrincat a year from now.

DeBrincat, 24, is owed a qualifying offer of $9 million next year. You would have to think that’s where contract talks start after his 41 goal season playing for a bad Blackhawks team. Even then, DeBrincat is from Michigan and could want to sign with a team in America anyway.

It’s hard not to be excited for the Sens this upcoming year but that news throws a wrench in everything. You don’t want to lose DeBrincat for nothing so the pressure is on. Ottawa has to win next year and even then it still may not be enough to keep the 5-foot-7 sniper.

The Senators made a bunch of key additions in the offseason. Claude Giroux and Cam Talbot will both help. It’s a really nice young core with Josh Norris, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson. It’s hard not to be at least optimistic about their chances of making the postseason even in a brutal Atlantic division.

How long will Alex DeBrincat rock a Senators jersey? Apparently, it could only be for a year. It’s something to monitor as the season progresses. If Ottawa isn’t a ready made contender, DeBrincat could force his way out sooner rather than later.