The Detroit Red Wings are putting the finishing touches on a long-term commitment to their top offensive weapon. Right wing Alex DeBrincat, 28, is finalizing a seven-year contract extension worth $13 million annually, sources told ESPN, a deal that would keep the team's leading scorer in Detroit through the prime of his career.
The reported agreement carries a total value of $91 million across the seven seasons. ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported the news as the two sides moved toward completion of the deal.
DeBrincat's production has made him the focal point of Detroit's attack. He entered the negotiations as the Red Wings' leading scorer, and he reinforced that status on Tuesday with two goals and an assist in a loss to the New Jersey Devils.
For a franchise and a fan base that have waited through a lengthy rebuilding period, the extension signals that the organization intends to build around established, proven talent rather than continue cycling through short-term contracts. Locking up a scorer of DeBrincat's caliber for seven years removes a significant question mark from Detroit's roster planning and gives the front office cost certainty on one of its most important players.
The $13 million annual figure would place DeBrincat among the highest-paid players in the league, a reflection of both his goal-scoring record and the rising salary cap environment in which the deal is being negotiated. The seven-year term represents the maximum length permitted under the current collective bargaining agreement for a player re-signing with his own team.
The timing of the agreement, coming immediately after a multi-point performance on Tuesday, underscores how central DeBrincat has become to Detroit's identity on the ice. The Red Wings have not yet announced the extension formally, and the deal remains contingent on the standard finalization process.
