Alex DeBrincat officially traded to the Detroit Red Wings

The wait is finally over, folks. The Detroit Red Wings have officially traded for Farmington Hills native Alex DeBrincat.

DeBrincat, 25, grew up a fan of the Detroit Red Wings, and following a fallout with the Ottawa Senators, will play a vital role in the organization’s success over the next four years (at least). The Detroit Red Wings had often been linked to DeBrincat, but Steve Yzerman is so tight-lipped, leaving plenty of experts and fans wondering if a deal would get done.

DeBrincat named Detroit, Vegas, Florida, Dallas, and Nashville possible trade destinations. A few of those teams could be immediately removed from consideration due to the salary cap. The New York Islanders, who would have needed to make a corresponding transaction to clear space, also emerged over the last week as a possible landing spot. But Yzerman got the complex deal finalized on Sunday evening.

Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings pulled off a remarkable heist, landing Alex DeBrincat.

The Detroit Red Wings will send forward Dominik Kubalik, defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 2024 first-round pick, and a 2024 fourth-round pick to Ottawa. The condition on the first-round pick is that the Red Wings can send the Senators either their own first-rounder in 2024 or Boston’s.

So when you look at it, in addition to the picks, Yzerman is sending a pending free agent (next summer) with middle-six scoring ability but proved to be quite inconsistent at times, along with a middling defense prospect that, in all honesty, would be hard-pressed to earn a role in Detroit down the road for a two-time 40-plus goal scorer that is just 25-year old. And the most underrated thing about the deal, DeBrincat wanted to be in Detroit. That’s huge. During this lengthy rebuild, established players are not exactly lining up to come to Detroit. He’s totaled 187 goals and 373 points in 450 games.

DeBrincat had been a pending Restricted Free Agent (RFA) awaiting an arbitration hearing and signed a four-year contract extension averaging $7.875 million per season.

When you add this blockbuster deal to what Yzerman had accomplished in free agency, it’s been a massive off-season for the Detroit Red Wings. You could say that the underwhelming feeling many had surrounding the off-season has done a 180.

DeBrincat, added to Detroit’s line with Dylan Larkin, will provide the Red Wings with a genuine top unit, and the additions of J.T. Compher and Daniel Sprong will help solidify Detroit’s middle-six. The two newcomers will be an upgrade to Kubalik and the recently released Filip Zadina.