The Detroit Red Wings and winger Alex DeBrincat are reportedly closing in on a seven-year contract extension worth $13 million annually, according to ESPN sources on Tuesday.
Seven years is the maximum term allowed under the NHL‘s new collective bargaining agreement, which took effect last month. Had DeBrincat signed before the new agreement kicked in, an eight-year term would have been on the table. He became eligible for an extension this summer.
What Was Reported
ESPN reported Tuesday that DeBrincat and the Red Wings are close to finalizing the $13 million-per-year deal. The report frames the agreement as a significant move for interim general manager Shawn Horcoff, who has been authorized by Detroit’s ownership to make trades and signings since taking over the role.
Horcoff is juggling multiple roster situations at once. Former captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, and restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned and away from the team, according to ESPN. Locking up DeBrincat long-term would give Horcoff at least one settled piece while those other situations play out.
DeBrincat’s Play And Locker Room Comments
The extension talk comes as DeBrincat continues to anchor Detroit’s offense. Now in his 10th NHL season, he has 296 career goals and 600 points and has played all 82 games in each of the past five seasons. He leads the Red Wings with eight points through five games this season.
Speaking to NHL.com about the mood inside Detroit’s locker room amid the team’s slow start, DeBrincat said, “Obviously, (there has been) a lot of noise on the outside, but in here, we’re trying to stay close-knit and just like coming to the rink every day. I think we’ve done a good job. Everyone’s in good spirits, and we’re having fun.”
That noise includes fans chanting “Sell The Team” at Little Caesars Arena multiple times this season, according to Yahoo Sports. Detroit sits at 1-3-2, last in the Atlantic Division, and is in the midst of a franchise-record playoff drought that could stretch to 11 seasons without a postseason appearance, the longest active drought in the league.
Why It Would Matter
If completed, the deal would give Detroit a settled answer at wing for the next seven years at a time when the roster is otherwise unsettled. Larkin’s trade request and Edvinsson’s holdout leave Horcoff managing two unresolved situations, and a DeBrincat extension would remove a third variable from that list. DeBrincat, with 461 consecutive games played, ranks third in the league in that category behind Brent Burns (1,012) and Nick Suzuki (542).
None of the parties have publicly commented on the reported terms beyond what ESPN’s sources described, and the exact timeline for when the contract could be formally signed has not been reported.
What’s Next
No signing date has been reported. Detroit continues its season with Horcoff still working to resolve the Larkin trade request and Edvinsson’s contract situation.
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