It'd be difficult for the Capitals to pursue a guy like DeBrincat, but it's not impossible.

The Washington Capitals are still looking to make changes and get busy going into NHL Free Agency, and one item on the top of their do-list is addressing the top-6 and shaking things up.

And with the market opening in less than 24 hours, there's one interesting name that's getting attention, and it's a notable restricted free agent: Alex DeBrincat.

DeBrincat and the Ottawa Senators appear to be headed for a trade, and it appears that the Detroit Red Wings are no longer the favorites to acquire the 40-goal scorer, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

In his latest edition of 32 Thoughts, he explained that Detroit is no longer the frontrunner for DeBrincat, and explained that the Capitals, along with the Anaheim Ducks, New York Islanders and Dallas Stars, could enter the sweepstakes for the 25-year-old.

And that sweepstakes has a high, high price. DeBrincat's arbitration salary comes in at a whopping $9 million, and there's no question he could also get offer sheets.

For a team like Washington, it'd be difficult to pull off. The Capitals are projected to have just $7.3 million to work with in cap space and some business to take care of this offseason. However, it's not entirely impossible.

Washington has reportedly shopped Evgeny Kuznetsov and Anthony Mantha, though it appears that there's not a lot of progress or movement on potential deals.

Kuznetsov's contract that pays $7.8 million over the next two years isn't easy to move, especially given questions about his consistency and effort and some off-ice issues. As for Mantha, the 28-year-old has been snakebitten since arriving in D.C. and is apparently not getting a lot of interest following a lackluster tenure and season filled with a lack of production, inconsistency, low confidence and healthy scratches.

Still, if those contracts come off the books, general manager Brian MacLellan could swing for the fences and bring in a guy like DeBrincat. He has shown great chemistry with Dylan Strome in both the OHL (Erie Otters) and NHL (Chicago Blackhawks), knows how to score and could easily be an X-Factor on the Capitals power play, which needs a major makeover.

Of course, it could cost a bit to bring in DeBrincat via trade, and Washington shouldn't give up too much. Still, if the Capitals turn to their youth to step in and play bigger roles this season, a DeBrincat deal isn't entirely impossible to pull off.

Is it likely? Not extremely, given the low values on Kuznetsov and Mantha right now, a lack of space and the risk of promoting youth that hasn't proven itself at the highest level yet. But if those trades happen, that risk may be worth it with the freed-up space.

Free agency kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday.