The Detroit Red Wings locked up one of their biggest pieces late Tuesday, agreeing to a seven-year extension with Alex DeBrincat that comes in at an average annual value approaching $13 million. The deal landed just after DeBrincat turned in another reminder of why Detroit wanted to keep him around, scoring twice in the Red Wings’ 5-4 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils.
DeBrincat, 28, is coming off the best season of his career, piling up 41 goals and 85 points. He had been working under a four-year, $31.5 million contract and was set to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2027. He had already made it clear he wanted to stay in Detroit, and with the extension now done, attention shifts to the rest of the roster - specifically whether Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson are next in line.
Edvinsson’s situation drew extra notice when a photo surfaced of him with his bags packed and a caption that read, “best of luck.” The report was that he was headed back to North America for training.
Chris Johnston of TSN said, “He wants to work for a trainer back in North America that he feels comfortable with, but it obviously gets him closer to the NHL, both in proximity and, he hopes, in terms of his game shape. Not necessarily a sign that there’s been a breakthrough on the contract front, but the fact that he is coming back does symbolize some good things.”
In Edmonton, the wins keep piling up, but so do the decisions. The Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Tuesday to complete a California sweep and stretch their winning streak to five straight. Connor McDavid marked his 800th NHL game with a four-point night, and he now sits at a league-leading 17 points through six games.
Still, one of the bigger stories around the Oilers is Vasily Podkolzin. He’s up to seven goals and has stretched his point streak to six games, giving Edmonton a top line that has been rolling with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
That creates a genuine lineup puzzle for head coach Mike Babcock as Zach Hyman gets closer to returning from injury. Hyman has long been a key piece beside McDavid, but Babcock didn’t tip his hand on whether that trio will stay intact, saying only that he’s excited the Oilers are getting some depth back soon.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, is hearing from the rest of the league. Pierre LeBrun said on Tuesday’s edition of Insider Trading that general manager Danny Briere’s phone has been busy, with other teams calling about the Flyers. That said, interest doesn’t equal a major move, and LeBrun noted there isn’t a blockbuster sitting there ready to fix the club’s problems.
Some frustrated fans have reportedly been chanting for head coach Rick Tocchet to be fired, but that’s not a direction management is seriously considering. There’s also chatter around Travis Konecny, though a trade for him does not appear close.
Out west, the Vancouver Canucks are among the teams keeping tabs on Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary after his recent demotion to the American Hockey League. Elliotte Friedman reported that Vancouver has interest in the 25-year-old, but nothing is said to be imminent. For the Canucks, that kind of move could fit a search for younger pieces as they continue reshaping the roster.
And in Toronto, the Maple Leafs may need to start scanning the trade market after losing Chris Tanev from the lineup. It isn’t known whether the issue is serious, but there is concern that even a short-term absence could be the start of something bigger.
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic identified three possible names the Maple Leafs could look at: Chicago’s Ian Cole, Philadelphia’s Rasmus Ristolainen or Calgary’s Zach Whitecloud. Finding a dependable replacement won’t be simple this early in the season, but Toronto’s defensive situation may leave general manager John Chayka with little choice but to explore what’s available.
In Other News...
Canucks Loss Still Put A Few Young Players In Focus
Even in a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders, there were a few reasons the Canucks could come away with a clearer picture of some of the younger names in the lineup. The game leaned more toward a performance review than a simple final score recap, with several players drawing attention for the way they handled bigger minutes and more pressure than usual.
Leevi Merilinen kept Vancouver afloat with a series of important stops, while Max Sasson supplied the early offense and Liam hgren helped swing momentum by drawing a penalty that eventually led to the tying goal. For a team looking for signs of progress in the depth chart, nights like this can matter almost as much as the result, even if the finish still leaves something to be desired. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Suddenly Have A Real Battle For Bigger Roles
Vancouvers early-season results have not exactly matched the flashes the club has seen, but there are enough encouraging signs to make the next stretch interesting. Leevi Merilinen has given the Canucks steady goaltending in recent games, and that has added a little edge to a crease picture that also includes Lankinen. At the same time, the organization is continuing to give looks to younger players such as Elias Pettersson and Jonathan Lekkerimki while trying to sort out who can handle bigger responsibilities.
Jonathan Lekkerimkis role is one of the more intriguing parts of that evaluation, especially as the Canucks keep testing how their young forwards and defensemen fit into the longer-term plan. Vancouver is not just chasing short-term stability, it is also trying to find out which prospects can move from promising pieces to real building blocks. In that sense, the battle for minutes has started to matter almost as much as the results, and the next decisions should say plenty about where the team sees its future coming from. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Loss Showed The Same Problem Fans Are Already Tired Of
Vancouver went into UBS Arena looking to steady itself, but instead saw the same kind of game slip away in a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders. The Canucks had the edge early, then watched the Islanders keep pressing behind Kyle Palmieri and Matias Maccelli, with Palmieri finding the net twice and Maccelli scoring his first goal since joining the club. It was the kind of result that leaves Vancouver trying to sort out what went wrong before the frustration starts to feel familiar.
The Islanders, now 3-3-0, got a needed lift from a night in which Palmieri ended his scoring drought and provided the kind of finishing touch they have been chasing. Vancouver, meanwhile, leaves with another reminder that a lead alone does not always tell the full story. The Canucks will want a faster answer the next time they are in position to control a game, because these are the moments that can linger in October and shape how a fan base sees the team early. [Read more 🡒]