Alex DeBrincat agrees to seven-year 91 million dollar extension with Red Wings
Key takeaways
- Alex DeBrincat agreed to a seven-year, $91 million extension with Detroit.
- The deal pays $13 million per year on average, starting in 2027-28.
- DeBrincat scored two goals on the same night the news broke.
Alex DeBrincat is staying in Detroit. The Red Wings winger agreed to a seven-year extension worth $91 million. The deal pays $13 million per year on average.
The news broke on Tuesday night. It came right after Detroit lost 5-4 in overtime to the New Jersey Devils. DeBrincat scored two goals in that game.
He also added one assist.
The new deal is not officially signed yet, according to TSN. But the two sides have agreed on the terms. It is the biggest deal of its kind for the Red Wings in years.
What happened
DeBrincat and the Red Wings reached an agreement on Tuesday. The deal is for seven years. It is worth $91 million in total.
That works out to $13 million per year.
The extension starts in the 2027-28 season. It runs through the 2033-34 season. That keeps DeBrincat in Detroit for the long term.
Seven years was the max length allowed. DeBrincat could have signed for eight years before the new labor deal took effect on September 16. Under the new rules, seven years is the limit for an extension.
The two sides used the full limit.
The deal has trade protection. DeBrincat has a no-trade clause for the first four years. That means the team cannot trade him without his OK.
The final three years have a limited no-trade clause. That gives him less control, but still some say.
The pay is not flat across the deal. The first year pays $15 million in salary. Years two through six pay $12.93 million each.
The final year pays $11.35 million. The average still comes out to $13 million per year.
Why it matters
DeBrincat is Detroit's top scorer. He is the player the team leans on for goals. Last season he had a career year.
He scored 41 goals. He added 44 assists. He played all 82 games.
This season he has kept going. He has four goals and four assists in six games. He scored twice on Tuesday in the loss to the Devils.
He tied the game late in the third period. The Devils still won in overtime.
DeBrincat has not missed a game since he joined Detroit. He came to the Red Wings before the 2023-24 season. He has played every game since then.
That kind of health is rare. It makes him even more valuable.
His current deal pays $7.88 million per year. It ends after this season. Without a new deal, he could have become a free agent next summer.
Other teams could have bid for him. Detroit moved early to avoid that fight.
The new deal is a big raise. It jumps from $7.88 million to $13 million per year. That is a rise of about 65 percent.
It shows how much Detroit values him.
The money also puts him near the top of the league. Once the extension starts, his $13 million yearly pay will rank 11th among all NHL players, according to Spotrac. That is star money.
The Red Wings believe he is a star.
Why Detroit paid now
The Red Wings are in a rough spot. They have not made the playoffs in a decade. They sit last in the Atlantic Division with a 1-3-2 record.
The start of this season has been hard.
There is also noise around the team. Reports say Dylan Larkin asked for a trade. Simon Edvinsson is playing in Sweden while his contract talks drag on.
The team needed good news.
DeBrincat gave them that news. He is a Michigan native. He has said he loves playing in Detroit.
In September he said he takes pride in wearing the Red Wings jersey. He called it a privilege.
Keeping him sends a clear message. The team will keep its best player. It will not let him walk away for nothing.
It will build around him.
The deal also locks in a known scorer. Goals are hard to find in the NHL. A player who can score 41 goals in a season is rare.
Detroit decided it could not risk losing one.
Who is Alex DeBrincat
DeBrincat is 28 years old. He is a right wing. He was picked by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft.
He has played 702 career games. He has scored 298 goals. He has added 305 assists.
He has played for the Blackhawks, the Ottawa Senators, and the Red Wings.
He joined Detroit in a trade from Ottawa in July 2023. Since then he has been the team's main scoring threat. He has played every game for the Red Wings.
He has also been steady in the playoffs. He has two goals and four assists in nine playoff games. All of those came with Chicago in 2020.
His game is built on a fast shot and smart movement. He is not the biggest player on the ice. But he finds open space.
He gets his shot off fast. Goalies have little time to react.
What happens next
The deal still needs to be signed. The team will make it official soon. Once it is signed, DeBrincat is locked in through 2034.
On the ice, Detroit needs wins. The team has lost four of its first six games. The new deal does not fix the defense.
It does not fix the slow start. But it gives the team a stable core to build on.
DeBrincat will keep leading the attack. The team will look for more help around him. The Larkin and Edvinsson issues still need answers.
Those talks will shape the season.
For DeBrincat, the deal gives him safety. He knows where he will play for years. He knows his pay.
He can focus on scoring goals.
For fans, the news is a rare bright spot in a tough start. The best player on the team is staying. The team chose to pay him like a star.
Now the team must build a winner around him.
The big picture
The NHL has changed how teams pay stars. The salary cap keeps rising. Top scorers now earn $13 million or more per year.
DeBrincat's deal fits that trend.
Detroit paid for goals, health, and loyalty. DeBrincat scores every year. He never misses games.
He wants to stay in his home state.
The risk is clear too. Seven years is a long time. DeBrincat is 28 now.
He will be 35 when the deal ends. Scoring can drop with age. The Red Wings bet that he will stay sharp.
For now, the deal is a win for both sides. DeBrincat gets paid like a top star. Detroit keeps its best scorer.
The team can now turn back to the ice and try to climb out of last place.
The next test comes soon. Detroit needs wins to back up the big check. DeBrincat has done his part so far.
He has eight points in six games. The rest of the team must catch up.
Read more: Golden Knights beat Predators 5-2 as Karlsson scores go-ahead goal. Also see Blues rout Senators 7-2 as three players score twice each. Related: Frozen Frenzy packs 32 NHL teams into one wild night and our Senators-Devils game coverage.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,