DeBrincat signs seven-year extension, feels ‘so proud to be a Red Wing and put on that jersey every night’

DETROIT – As Alex DeBrincat spoke to the media at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the Detroit Red Wings officially announced his seven-year contract extension that morning, he not only talked about what the Winged Wheel means to him and his family but also his desire to help his hometown NHL club keep taking the steps needed to become a consistent Stanley Cup contender.

But none of what the 28-year-old forward said was new, because it’s what he’s been saying for quite some time. Now, this extension — DeBrincat’s second multi-year pact with Detroit, his first being a four-year agreement he signed shortly after being acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators in July 2023 — proves he meant it all along.

“It’s so important to me,” DeBrincat said. “I’m so proud to be a Red Wing and put on that jersey every night. I take immense pride in it, and so do a lot of guys in that room. I’m happy to be here and happy to be here for a long time.”

In the first six contests of his fourth full season with the Red Wings, DeBrincat has tallied a team-leading eight points (four goals, four assists). He didn’t miss a game in 2025-26, finishing with 41 goals and 44 assists for a career-high 85 points — becoming the first U.S.-born player in franchise history to record an 80-point season.

“I really believe in what we’re trying to build here,” DeBrincat said. “I believe in that group in there, and I think we’re a good team. Obviously, a lot of steps to be taken but overall, I feel like we’re right there. I feel good about what we have going here.”

DeBrincat could have been an unrestricted free agent next summer and likely would have been one of the most sought-after players available on the open market. But when it ultimately came down to where he might play beyond this season, DeBrincat already had his sights set.

“I wanted to be here,” DeBrincat said. “I knew this was the spot I wanted to be. I’m a Red Wing at heart, and that’s what I wanted to do and get it done as quickly as possible.”

According to DeBrincat, a deal was “pretty close” to being finalized just a few hours before Wednesday’s Eastern Conference clash against the New Jersey Devils, and he “figured by the end of the game, it was going to be ready.” Before his teammates left Little Caesars Arena for the night, DeBrincat excitedly shared the news with them.

“He’s proven every single year that he’s a vital asset to our team,” Moritz Seider said of DeBrincat. “He’s taking more and more steps in the locker room too, and he’s going to continue making big plays for us.”

However, as of Wednesday afternoon, DeBrincat laughingly admitted he hadn’t yet told his three young sons — Archie, Maverick and Leighton — about re-signing with the Red Wings.

“Maybe I get home and try to explain it,” DeBrincat said, donning his trademark smile. “I don’t know if they’re going to get it because this is all they’ve really known, but I’m sure they’ll be happy we’re going to stay here for a while longer.”

Family is extremely important to DeBrincat, sharing in some of his most meaningful hockey moments and influencing how the Farmington Hills, Mich., native got to this point in his NHL career.

“My dad grew up a Red Wings fan,” DeBrincat said. “He’s been a Red Wings fan his whole life, and now to be able to come to every game and watch me play for the Red Wings, I’m sure it’s a dream come true for him too. Just to get this done and have that certainty of staying here for a long time is exciting for me and my family.”

Since being drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round (No. 39 overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, DeBrincat has racked up 603 points (298 goals, 305 assists) in 702 regular-season games with the Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Red Wings since 2017-18. He also has six points in nine Stanley Cup Playoff matchups with Chicago.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a player in all assets of the game,” DeBrincat said of his evolution in Detroit to this point. “Defensively, I’ve gotten a lot better and that’s with help of the coaches and coaching staff here within the systems we play. I feel like I’ve grown offensively as well…We have a great group in here. We’ve had great groups these past couple of years, and I’ve learned so much from different guys. Whether it’s vets or young guys, you take some pieces away, try to improve your game every day and get better.”

Given all that DeBrincat has accomplished and all he still has ahead of him, keeping the two-time NHL All-Star and three-time 40-goal scorer in Detroit for the long haul was an important piece of business for interim General Manager Shawn Horcoff.

“I made it clear, the first time I was up here with you guys, that it was a priority to get Alex done for numerous reasons,” Horcoff said. “He’s an elite scorer. He does the one thing that’s probably the hardest to find in the National Hockey League, is to score goals, but even more important than that is his character and competitiveness. Alex is the type of player that’s very difficult to find.”

Horcoff said the 5-foot-8, 177-pound forward will continue to be counted on in many ways.

“To me, the biggest thing with Alex and what I love the most, is you know what you’re getting every single day,” Horcoff said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on…He shows up every day. The effort is there. The intensity is there. The competitiveness is there. I don’t care how big he is. He plays much bigger than his size, and that’s just a perfect example of how size only matters within the competitiveness and heart of the person."

Indeed, as valuable as DeBrincat has been as a top-six forward on the ice, his worth to the Red Wings extends beyond the score sheet and speaks to where head coach Todd McLellan feels the team itself is trying to go.

“What (DeBrincat) does is he kind of symbolizes what we want to become,” McLellan said. “He’s a real competitive guy. He gets the most out of what’s in that package. He really doesn’t take no for an answer, and he brings it all the time. A pretty consistent player, and that’s what we want to become as a whole. Obviously, with some of the things that have gone on around here, it’s a good sign for us, for the organization, to have some good news as far as players, contracts and all that type of stuff. Everybody today, from trainers to coaches to his teammates, was happy for him.”