The Red Wings appear to have landed their biggest win of the week without leaving the rink.
Detroit is closing in on a seven-year extension with Alex DeBrincat, according to NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston. The reports surfaced Tuesday night, just minutes after the Red Wings dropped a 5-4 overtime decision to the New Jersey Devils in a game where DeBrincat scored twice.
Friedman said the deal is hovering around an average annual value of roughly $13 million, while Johnston pegged the expected total at about $90 million, which works out to a $12.857 million AAV. Nothing has been made official yet, though an announcement could come Tuesday night or early Wednesday.
If it gets across the finish line, it would mark the first major move for interim GM Shawn Horcoff.
DeBrincat is playing out the final season of a four-year, $31.5 million contract with a $7.875 million cap hit. Without a new agreement, he would have been headed for unrestricted free agency on July 1, 2027.
Pierre LeBrun added, “We’re not even batting an eye now at $13M AAV. It’s a whole new world.
Great time to be an NHL player. Suddenly Kaprizov at $17M doesn’t seem so crazy!”
The sense around DeBrincat has long been that Detroit is where he wants to stay. “My intention is obviously to stay in Detroit,” he has told reporters. A Farmington Hills native, he grew up as a Red Wings fan and has spoken about wanting to help bring the organization back to its glory days.
That matters for a team dealing with a little uncertainty elsewhere. Dylan Larkin has been the subject of trade chatter, and Simon Edvinsson’s contract talks have reportedly been difficult, even as Detroit would like to keep him.
DeBrincat’s value only grew after the season he just put together. He finished with career highs in goals, assists and points - 41, 44 and 85 - and contenders would have lined up before the trade deadline if he had been set to hit the market. With the salary cap continuing to climb, a deal north of $13 million on the open market was in play.
Instead, the Red Wings look poised to keep one of their top scorers in Detroit for the long haul.
In Other News...
Dylan Larkin Trade Talk Now Hinges On One Massive Detroit Decision
Dylan Larkins trade request has put the Red Wings in a familiar but uncomfortable spot, with the captain holding a full no-trade clause and control over where this situation goes next. Among the teams believed to be in the mix, Florida stands out because of Larkins existing familiarity with some of the Panthers players and management from past international play, which makes the fit easier to imagine than most.
For the Panthers, the appeal is obvious. Theyre dealing with injuries and always have to juggle the salary cap carefully, so any pursuit of Larkin would have to be measured against the roster consequences of making it happen. The question now is whether Detroit and Florida can align on a framework that makes sense for both sides, especially if the price eventually requires a significant piece from the Panthers current lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Appear Ready To Lock In A Core Scorer
The Red Wings appear to be on the verge of keeping one of their most important finishers in place, with Alex DeBrincats strong play this season making him an obvious priority in Detroit. After arriving as a proven scorer, he has quickly become a central piece of the lineup, and the organization now seems ready to reward that impact with a long-term commitment.
Multiple reports from Elliotte Friedman, Chris Johnston and Emily Kaplan point to an agreement that would keep DeBrincat tied to Detroit for years to come, a sign the club wants more than a short window of production from a player who has already changed the look of its attack. The only step left is the formal word from the team, which appears to be coming soon. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Found A Dangerous New Line But Still Let One Slip Away
Alex DeBrincat gave Detroit a much-needed spark, scoring twice and adding an assist in a back-and-forth game against New Jersey, but it still ended in a 5-4 loss for the Red Wings. The Devils spread the offense around with goals from Jesper Bratt, Evan Rodrigues, Anthony Mantha and Nico Hischier, while Detroit had enough firepower to stay in it and make the night feel like more than just another defeat.
The shot margin was part of the story, too, with New Jersey testing Detroit more often over the course of the game. Even so, the Red Wings left the building knowing they had stumbled onto a line that created real problems for the Devils, the kind of combination that can change how opponents have to defend them if it keeps showing up. [Read more 🡒]