UPDATE: Could The Blackhawks Bring Back Alex DeBrincat?
Many Blackhawks fans were left with a bad taste in their mouths on draft day this past summer when Kyle Davidson dove headfirst into a full rebuild by trading fan favorite Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators.
Despite his lack of size, DeBrincat blossomed before our very eyes into an elite goal scorer and playmaker on the ice. Playing with Patrick Kane on a nightly basis sure helped, but DeBrincat was ready to be a Blackhawk for life after scoring a career high 78 points in 82 games the season before being traded.
The Senators have approached DeBrincat about signing an extension with the club, but the two sides seem to be on two different wave lengths. According to Scott Powers, a long-term deal with DeBrincat doesn't seem to be imminent in Ottawa.
With DeBrincat's future in Ottawa anything but certain, the 25 year old is set to hit free agency until after the 2024-2025 season. So where do the Blackhawks enter the fold?
By the end of the 2025 season, the Blackhawks should have taken a massive step forward in the rebuild. With the potential of getting a top three pick this year, plus the likely additions of the 2022 draft class primed to enter the NHL, signing back DeBrincat would make sense.
DeBrincat would provide the young Blackhawks breaking into the league with a much needed veteran presence. Scott Powers also stated that the DeBrincat's seemed to really enjoy their time in Chicago. If the Blackhawks can get a top pick this year and the prospects recently drafted continue to progress at the rate they are, DeBrincat returning to Chicago could be a slam dunk for both sides.
Source Credit: Scott Powers, "The Athletic".
| POLL | ||
Do you think DeBrincat will return? | ||
| Yes | 193 | 43.1 % |
| No | 255 | 56.9 % |
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