Alex DeBrincat's agent, Jeff Jackson, refuted a report that his client's contract demands are holding up a trade from the Ottawa Senators.
Jackson told The Athletic's Ian Mendes the claim is "entirely false and without merit."
DeBrincat is a restricted free agent and is widely expected to be traded this offseason after telling the Senators he isn't interested in signing a long-term extension to remain in Ottawa. General manager Pierre Dorion said recently a sign-and-trade to get max value for the two-time 40-goal scorer would be ideal, but a move doesn't appear to be close.
"As far as I have been advised, there has been no agreement of any kind on an actual trade involving Alex, and I would require that before entering into an actual negotiation," Jackson said. "We are waiting patiently for that to happen."
He added: "Agents and players don’t make trades … that's the GM's job."
The Senators filed for arbitration with DeBrincat last month. If a trade doesn't materialize, the two sides could agree on a short-term contract. Ottawa currently has approximately $10.2 million in cap space to accommodate a deal to retain him, according to Cap Friendly.
DeBrincat is eligible for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024 if he signs for one year.
Ottawa acquired DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2022 draft for the seventh and 39th overall picks, as well as a 2024 third-round selection. The 25-year-old recorded 27 goals and 39 assists across 82 games this past season.
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