DeBrincat brings local ties, goal-scoring ability to Red Wings

Alex DeBrincat sat in a house in the Detroit area Monday, wearing a Detroit Pistons hat. And not just any Pistons hat. It was a throwback to what the NBA team wore in 1996-2001, known locally as the "teal era."

"I think it might even have been a little bit before my time of watching them," the 25-year-old said with a laugh. "But yeah, I like it. I think it's definitely old school."

If you're a Detroit Red Wings fan, you had to love that. DeBrincat is a Detroit guy, the latest player with local ties to choose the Red Wings despite a rebuild, and he's coming home with exactly what they need: goal-scoring.

DeBrincat declined to sign a long-term contract with the Ottawa Senators as a restricted free agent, so they traded him to the Red Wings on Sunday, and he signed a four-year, $31.5 million contract with an average annual value of $7.875 million.

Detroit finished 24th in goals (237) last season and hasn't had a 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa in 2008-09. DeBrincat scored 27 goals last season and hit 41 twice for the Chicago Blackhawks, in 2018-19 and 2021-22.

"There just aren't a lot of them around the League, guys that can get it on their stick, and any time they shoot it, it looks like it has a chance of going in," Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. "I think we categorize Alex in that mold, as a sniper. Just one shot can change a game."

How do you get guys like that when they have other options?

Well, the Red Wings can't offer a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. They haven't made the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past seven seasons. But Yzerman has a track record of success as a player and executive, and the Red Wings have improved their point total since his first season as their GM in 2019-20, going from 39 to 48 to 74 to 80.

Amid their many moves in that time, they have kept or added some players with local ties.

They signed center Andrew Copp, who grew up in Ann Arbor and played at the University of Michigan, to a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.625 million as an unrestricted free agent July 13, 2022.

They signed captain Dylan Larkin, who grew up in the Detroit area (Waterford) and played at Michigan, to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $8.7 million March 1, keeping him from becoming a UFA.

They signed center J.T. Compher, who grew up in the Chicago (Northbrook) area but played at Michigan, to a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.1 million as a UFA on July 1.

And now they've added DeBrincat and locked him down for four years.

"Ultimately, I want really good players," Yzerman said. "I don't care where they're from, but I think it is a bonus."

These players are familiar with the Detroit area and each other. They have extra incentive to play for the Red Wings, persevere through hard times and help them take the next step. And they can connect with the fans through something as simple as genuinely wearing a Pistons hat, because, as DeBrincat said, "it's just a cool hat."

"If they're free agents, they want to be there for some reason," Yzerman said. "I think the players with local ties, I think there's an added benefit to it. When you target a specific place for the right reasons -- for very good reasons and not just going to, say, get the top dollar -- I think the player's more invested in it."

DeBrincat started playing hockey at Farmington Hills Ice Arena, about 30 minutes from the Red Wings' home of Little Caesars Arena. His favorite player was Pavel Datsyuk, and his favorite memory was the Red Wings' last championship in 2008.

"I think they were just so successful through my whole childhood," DeBrincat said. "It was so fun to watch. That's a big reason why I play the game. To get to that point, that success, is definitely a goal of mine, and hopefully we can be successful here again."

DeBrincat, whose wife is also from the Detroit area, has spent the past three or four offseasons at home. He played golf with Larkin recently, and he said Larkin had only good things to say about the Red Wings. Now they likely will be linemates.

"It's super exciting," DeBrincat said. "Obviously growing up here and rooting for the Red Wings when I was younger, it's definitely a dream come true. I do have to say, I don't think anyone's happier than my parents. It's a full family. Everyone's happy, and it's a good spot for me."

Since DeBrincat entered the NHL with the Blackhawks in 2017-18, the Red Wings haven't been the type of team he grew up watching. Maybe he can help change that.

"Obviously early in my career, it was deep in the rebuild," DeBrincat said. "And these past couple years, you can see that the compete level has definitely been higher, and you see a team that's maybe frustrated with being in a rebuild and wants to get out.

"I'm excited to be here and kind of join that and hopefully be part of the solution to get out of that. I'm just really excited to join these guys, and I definitely see the potential in this group."