NEW YORK — Alex DeBrincat will be a fascinating name to keep an eye on this summer.
The 25-year-old is set to become a restricted free agent after one season with the Ottawa Senators. His 27 goals in 2022-23 marked a downturn over the previous season, but contract negotiations could get tricky seeing as he's likely to command more than the $6.4 million cap hit he's carried over the past three years.
Could a trade be possible? Certainly, and the New York Islanders would be a team right at the front of the line.
DeBrincat is speedy, shoots at a high volume, and has a scoring touch the Islanders desperately need, according to Gil Martin of Locked on Islanders.
He could also compliment some of the team's star players and form one of the best lines in the NHL.
"Imagine a line of Bo Horvat, Mat Barzal, and DeBrincat," Martin posits.
Either way, DeBrincat is fast, young, shoots the puck, and puts it in the net, and at his age, "it's entirely possible we haven't seen the best of him yet."
The issue, of course, the likelihood he'll be paid around $9 million per season moving forward, and it would be a challenge to clear some cap space to get it done.
That will be even more difficult considering the aforementioned Horvat ($8.5 million) and Barzal ($9.15 million) have long-term extensions kicking in beginning next season.
Additionally, there's the matter of working out a deal with the Senators for DeBrincat's rights, which would not be cheap.
As a reminder, Ottawa acquired DeBrincat in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 7 for Ottawa's first- and second-round picks in the 2022 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. And that was with one year remaining on his deal.
The Islanders already sent their 2023 first-round pick to the Canucks in the Horvat trade, but there are some pieces that could entire Ottawa.
Plus, DeBrincat isn't necessarily a Lou Lamoriello type player, but there's some questions as to whether he'll remain in charge moving forward.
At any rate, if there's any indication DeBrincat won't sign in Ottawa, there will be high demand, and perhaps the Islanders could indeed sneak in there.