Alex DeBrincat transaction: Jean-Gabriel Pageau proposed by the Islanders

As you know, in the last few days, Alex DeBrincat got what he wanted by being traded to the Red Wings and getting a new four-year deal in Detroit.

DeBrincat was able to put the pressure on to be traded back home, which has been feasible in recent years when a player is a year away from full autonomy.

The RFA did not want to sign long-term in Ottawa, which forced the Sens to trade him.

I know a lot of people seem to paint him as a villain, but don’t forget that he simply organized himself to get what he wanted. And as far as we know, he never made any false promises to the Sens about his desire to sign for Ottawa in the long term.

Pierre Dorion went looking for him in Chicago without talking to him first, and he couldn’t convince him to sign in town because he wasn’t interested.

What can be annoying, though, is when deals had to be blocked in the last few weeks because DeBrincat didn’t want to sign long-term with a team other than Detroit.

But I don’t hate to see player empowerment transposed from basketball to field hockey. Players have the power, as they approach autonomy, to take a path that suits them, what’s good for them.

Because yes, this is about RFAs approaching complete autonomy. If Cole Caufield had wanted to do the same thing, for example, Kent Hughes would have told him to wait a bit because he wouldn’t have had the power.

All this to say that, in DeBrincat’s case, even if other teams entered the race, DeBrincat’s desire not to sign on a medium/long-term basis anywhere other than Detroit changed the game.

And even if we learn that the Islanders have made an offer, regardless of whether the Sens are happy with it or not, it doesn’t change anything because DeBrincat was the one with the big stick, and he wanted Detroit.

But for what it’s worth, I’ll take the offer.

According to journalist Andrew Gross, the Islanders offered (among others) Oliver Wahlstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau to the Senators in exchange for DeBrincat. The offer didn’t necessarily make the Sens happy.

After all, Wahlstrom isn’t developing as expected.

Pageau’s return to Ottawa would have been no worse… but against DeBrincat, it would have taken bigger players for a Pierre Dorion who wasn’t interested in the first place… and whose hands were tied by DeBrincat.

In gusto

– Columbus has a fine player on hand.

– Phillip Danault would like to see Selke take Patrice Bergeron’s name. [HF]

– The Alouettes are in transition. [98.5 FM]

– Expect a big season for Connor McDavid. [Fanadiens]

– Montreal CF loses.