Alex DeBrincat’s Detroit homecoming just made the Red Wings a whole lot stronger up front.
After weeks of speculation, Detroit acquired the right winger from Ottawa on Sunday in exchange for forward Dominik Kubalik, prospect defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a 2024 conditional first-rounder and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
DeBrincat, 25, immediately inked a four-year extension with the Red Wings worth $31.5 million, landing the Farmington Hills, Mich., native with his childhood team for the foreseeable future.
“Growing up here and rooting for the Red Wings when I was younger, it’s definitely a dream come true,” DeBrincat told reporters Monday. “I don’t think anyone’s happier than my parents and my full family.”
DeBrincat, drafted 39th overall by the Blackhawks in 2016, spent five seasons in Chicago before getting traded to Ottawa in July 2022.
While the Senators hoped DeBrincat would eventually sign long-term, he made it clear that was not in the cards, leaving the logistics of the inevitable trade a top discussion of the NHL offseason.
In his one year with Ottawa, DeBrincat had 27 goals and 39 assists, marking a third straight 20-goal season and the fifth of his career.
The winger is a two-time 41-goal scorer and has garnered more than 50 points each year through six total seasons in the league.
“We’d all describe him as a goal-scoring winger,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said to the media. “We talked right around the free agency opening about potentially adding more goal-scoring ability to the team and I think Alex definitely fits that bill.”
DeBrincat is a proven goalscorer, has real confidence in his game and will look to help Detroit sniff the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
“I’m definitely confident in my abilities, this team’s a good fit for me,” DeBrincat said. “We’ve just gotta keep growing as a team and just put in the work to get back there.”
With plenty of cap space, Yzerman has been busy this summer with depth signings in free agency, as well as securing Stanley Cup champion J.T. Compher on a five-year, $25.5 million deal last week.
Detroit finished 12 points out from the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference last season.
Now, with a sharpshooter to build around in their top six, the Red Wings may be able to cause some trouble in the 2023-24 season.
