A ‘complete player’ for Red Wings, DeBrincat plays 600th career NHL game

DETROIT -- Although the Detroit Red Wings came up short against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Tuesday night, Alex DeBrincat reached an impressive personal milestone in the nation’s capital by playing his 600th career NHL game.

The 27-year-old forward is just the third player from the 2016 NHL Entry Draft class to achieve the feat, joining an exclusive club that includes Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.

“There’s a lot of people who have helped me along the way,” DeBrincat said after Tuesday’s morning skate at Capital One Arena. “Going into Chicago, the leaders we had there really helped me develop my game and learn how to be a leader, how to play the right way and do all the right things to be a pro. A lot of people growing up have really helped me to this point. A lot of coaches, too. I think even since Todd [McLellan] has been here, he’s taught me a lot. I think I’ve developed my game even further.”

DeBrincat, currently in his eighth NHL campaign and second with Detroit, has been an integral player for the Red Wings since they acquired him via trade from the Ottawa Senators on July 9, 2023.

Last season, DeBrincat played all 82 games and ranked third on Detroit in goals (27), assists (40) and points (67). Not only did he reach the 40-assist mark for the first time in his NHL career, the Farmington Hills, Mich., native represented the Red Wings at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game at Scotiabank Arena.

And this season, DeBrincat leads his hometown NHL club in goals (31) and has the third-most points (58) in 68 games.

“A lot of it is puck luck, working back to pucks, stealing pucks,” DeBrincat said. “The forecheck has been good. Obviously, I think just being more consistent in general. That’s a big thing that I’ve done better this year.”

Listed at 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, DeBrincat has shown he isn’t afraid to make hard-working plays and get to the dirty areas to generate some offense.

“As you go on through the game, you can tell if you really get on [opponents] early it aggravates them,” Debrincat said. “Maybe makes them move the puck a little bit quicker, maybe doesn’t give them as much time to play the way they want.”

From McLellan’s perspective, DeBrincat is a player who can “drag everybody else into the game.”

“It’s because of the competitiveness at his size,” McLellan said about DeBrincat. “It’s hard to stand there, sit on the bench and watch him go as hard as he goes in every situation regardless of what’s going on in the game. He’s not perfect, don’t get me wrong there. But when he does, it’s a pretty good motivator. If I’m sitting on the bench, I’m going, ‘Well, if he’s doing it, everybody should be looking at me because I have to do it too.’”

Putting forth that type of consistent effort, according to McLellan, will be big for DeBrincat and all the Red Wings players during this final stretch of the season.

“You could be up by four or down by four [goals], and he seems to be playing the same way every shift,” McLellan said. “That can really rub off on other people. We are counting on that drive to keep at the level that it’s at right now. The passion can certainly help everybody else. He’s got to score some goals for us, that’s what he’s here for, but he cleans up a lot of messes as well defensively. A complete player right now.”