Red Wings Lock Up DeBrincat With Seven-Year, $91 Million Extension

Detroit signed Alex DeBrincat to a seven-year, $91M extension ($13M AAV) — franchise record — with the winger two goals shy of 300 heading into tonight vs. Philadelphia; announced Oct 14, freshest hard non-duplicate hockey news today.

Red Wings Lock Up DeBrincat With Seven-Year, $91 Million Extension

The Detroit Red Wings made the biggest financial commitment in franchise history on Wednesday, signing star winger Alex DeBrincat to a seven-year, $91 million contract extension that carries an average annual value of $13 million. Seven years is the maximum contract length under the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, and the deal makes the Michigan native the highest-paid player on the roster.

For Detroit, it was desperately needed good news. The club has endured a brutal few weeks: franchise icon Steve Yzerman was removed as general manager, captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade, and top defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned as a restricted free agent, away from the team. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff locked up the one player nobody wanted to lose.

DeBrincat has been worth every cent so far. The 28-year-old leads Detroit with four goals, four assists and a plus-7 rating through six games, and his 41-goal, 85-point campaign last season was the first 40-goal season by a Red Wing since Marián Hossa in 2008-09 — and the first 80-point season by an American-born skater in team history. Across 702 career games with Chicago, Ottawa and Detroit, he has 603 points.

The timing adds intrigue: at 298 career goals, DeBrincat can become the fourth-fastest active American-born player to reach 300 when Detroit hosts the winless Flyers on Thursday night.