The Buffalo Sabres are staring at a summer of choices, and one of the most intriguing names on the board is Detroit Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat.
With winger Alex Tuch and defenseman Bowen Byram gone, GM Jarmo Kekalainen is expected to hunt for offense to help replace the 44 goals lost by those departures. That opens the door to a player like DeBrincat, who just put together a career-high 85-point season in Detroit and could give Buffalo the kind of scoring punch it needs.
DeBrincat, 28, has been one of the NHL’s steadiest finishers since the Chicago Blackhawks took him in the second round in 2016. In nine seasons, he has topped 20 goals eight times, including a career-best 41 goals in 2019, 2022, and again last season. He also led the Red Wings with 15 power play goals, production that would fit neatly into the role Tuch filled on Buffalo’s top unit.
Detroit’s direction is part of what makes this situation worth watching. There has been talk that the Red Wings could be heading toward a reset, especially with captain Dylan Larkin asking for a trade and Patrick Kane moving on. The idea around the league is that Detroit could look to move veterans like Larkin and DeBrincat and build around younger pieces such as Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond.
DeBrincat is in the final year of a four-year contract that carries a $7.875 million AAV, and he also has a 16-team no-trade list. Both factors could shape what the Red Wings can realistically get back if they decide to move him.
Timing matters too. If Detroit trades him before the season, the return is more likely to include NHL-ready players.
Wait until closer to the deadline, and the package probably shifts toward futures. That kind of flexibility could line up with Buffalo’s situation, especially with the Sabres needing to replace the offense they lost from Tuch and Byram.
One wrinkle is Patrick Kane. DeBrincat has played with him in both Chicago and Detroit, and if Kane signs with Buffalo, that could change the equation. It’s possible DeBrincat would waive his no-trade clause to join the Sabres, or Kane could factor into the decision in the other direction.
DeBrincat would not come cheap. Unlike free agents such as Anthony Mantha or Anaheim’s Chris Kreider, a trade for him would require real assets. Detroit could push for young NHL talent like Konsta Helenius or Noah Ostlund, though Kekalainen might try to build a deal around Jack Quinn, who is signed through next season at $3.375 million and remains under control for two more seasons.
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