Alex DeBrincat Wants to Stay in Detroit as Red Wings Navigate Uncertain Future
DETROIT — While uncertainty continues to surround the Detroit Red Wings, Alex DeBrincat has made one thing clear: he wants to remain in Hockeytown.
DeBrincat is entering the final season of the four-year, $31.5 million contract he signed with Detroit in 2023, making his future one of the biggest decisions awaiting the Red Wings’ next general manager.
But unlike some of the uncertainty surrounding the organization, DeBrincat isn’t looking for an exit.
Speaking at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, the 28-year-old forward said his preference remains staying with the Red Wings.
“I love playing for the Red Wings. I love wearing that jersey and battling with those guys out there. My intention is obviously to stay in Detroit.”
DeBrincat added that he expects conversations about his future once Detroit hires its next general manager. Extension discussions are currently on hold while the organization conducts that search.
DeBrincat Is Coming Off a Huge Season
Keeping DeBrincat would mean retaining Detroit’s most productive scorer from last season.
The Michigan native led the Red Wings with 41 goals and 85 points in 2025-26. Over his first three seasons in Detroit, DeBrincat has scored 107 goals, 10 more than any other Red Wings player over that span.
That production makes his contract situation particularly important.
Detroit isn’t simply deciding whether to retain another veteran. DeBrincat remains a high-level goal scorer who has also proven remarkably durable, having not missed a regular-season game in the past five seasons.
A Different Message Than Dylan Larkin
DeBrincat’s comments are especially notable given what’s happening elsewhere in Detroit.
Captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade following last season, while Patrick Kane left Detroit in July to return to the Chicago Blackhawks on a two-year contract.
Meanwhile, Steve Yzerman transitioned from general manager into a senior adviser role in July as Detroit began searching for its next hockey operations leader.
DeBrincat isn’t ignoring that uncertainty.
But he’s also not allowing it to change how he feels about playing in Detroit.
He said Larkin remains a friend and teammate and indicated that, from his perspective, the Red Wings are currently a better team with their captain on the roster.
An Early Priority for Detroit’s Next GM
Whoever takes over Detroit’s hockey operations will inherit several major decisions.
DeBrincat should be near the top of that list.
Detroit has now missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, the longest postseason drought in the franchise’s 100-year history. The organization must determine what its next phase looks like while simultaneously dealing with Larkin’s trade request and evaluating the rest of its roster.
DeBrincat, however, has provided Detroit with something valuable amid all of that uncertainty: clarity.
He wants to be here.
Now the question becomes whether Detroit’s next general manager feels the same way about making DeBrincat part of the franchise’s long-term future.
Training camp opens Sept. 17, with Detroit’s regular-season opener scheduled for Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena.
For a franchise searching for direction, securing the future of a 41-goal scorer who has publicly said he wants to stay could be one of the clearest decisions awaiting its next leader.