Inside the Article:
Alex DeBrincat has come home, signing a four-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings immediately after being traded for from the Ottawa Senators. The Red Wings finally have the goal scoring forward they’ve been coveting, and he’s excited to get going on the ice.
Alex DeBrincat is Detroit’s prize acquisition
DeBrincat was acquired from Ottawa in exchange for forward Dominik Kubalik, prospect defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional first-round pick in the 2024 draft, and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 Draft. It gives Red Wings arguably their biggest goal-scoring threat since Marian Hossa‘s 40 goals in his lone season in Detroit of 2008-09.
He joined 97.1 The Ticket this morning
“It was quite a long process I feel like, but I was asked to give a list of teams and they were at the top of the list, so it’s good it all worked out,” DeBrincat said on The Stoney and Jansen Show on 97.1 The Ticket. “I’m obviously very happy to be a Red Wing.”
One of the knocks that some detractors might point out about DeBrincat’s game is that he isn’t known for being a defensively reliable forward, and was also -31 last year in Ottawa.
“Obviously last year my plus-minus wasn’t very good, but I think there’s a lot of things that go into that as well, so looking to have a bounceback season and get that 200-foot game back,” DeBrincat said. “I think I fit well on this team. There’s a lot of guys who want to play fast and control the puck and that’s kind of my big game, controlling the puck and playing in the O-zone. But you gotta play well in the D-zone to get it in the O-zone, so just looking to do that.”
But it’s clear that DeBrincat wants to be part of the solution for the Red Wings to once again bring postseason hockey back to Detroit.
“That’s the goal going into the year,” he said, “is playing meaningful games and hopefully contending for the Stanley Cup. I think that’s everyone’s goal in that locker room and we’re hoping to get there.”
While it’s thought by many that DeBrincat is a perfect linemate for Dylan Larkin, DeBrincat said that he’ll leave that up to head coach Derek Lalonde.
“It would be very cool to play with Larks, but at the same time, not my decision,” he said. “It’s coach’s decision. Whatever he thinks is going to work best. We’re all here to win hockey games and compete for the Stanley Cup, so whatever is going to get us closer to that goal is what I’m willing to do.”
Key Points
- Alex DeBrincat was acquired by the Detroit Red Wings from Ottawa and signed to a 4-year extension
- He joined 97.1 The Ticket this morning
- DeBrincat is clearly excited to join Detroit and also wants to clean up his poor plus-minus rating of last year
Bottom Line
Like DeBrincat, we are thrilled to have him in Detroit and look forward to him being a regular on the scoresheet this year and in the seasons to come!
Is this the year that Detroit makes a return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, which was the second-to-last season at Joe Louis Arena?
