Alex DeBrincat is one of the few outside talents Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman didn't miss on, putting up stellar play since he was acquired in the summer of 2023 in a blockbuster trade with the Ottawa Senators. Throughout his time in Detroit, DeBrincat has notched 162 points and 77 goals in 187 games, and he currently has 25 points and 11 goals in 23 contests in 2025-26.
Despite a 39-goal outing in 2024-25, DeBrincat never got an invite to U.S. Hockey's Olympic orientation camp in August, while teammates Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane received the nod. Understandably, DeBrincat wasn't thrilled with this, especially thanks to his talent as a goal-scorer and one of the few consistently bright spots on a Red Wings team that has missed the playoffs for nine straight seasons.
When talking with NHL.com, DeBrincat didn't hold back, saying, "Obviously I believe in myself. I believe I should be on that team. I feel good right now. With that being said, there's a lot of good players. I'm sure they have some hard, tough choices.
"I definitely wasn't happy about it. Everyone there deserved to be there as well, so it's tough to be in the position where … it kind of is what it is. It's water under the bridge.
"I did talk to (Bill) Guerin. We talked through some things. I know he had some tough decisions there. It's fine. I mean, it's just the summer camp. I told him I was going to do everything I can at the beginning of the season to make that team."
Alex DeBrincat has been turning adversity into success on the ice
Going into the Red Wings' Centennial season, a lot was expected out of DeBrincat to perform, especially with so many young players in their first and second seasons with the big club. And DeBrincat picked right up where he left off in 2024-25. He's on pace for 34 goals and between 89 and 90 points, the latter of which would be a career high. DeBrincat has been even more of a force on the Wings' power play, where he has six goals, three assists, and nine points.
What's even more remarkable about DeBrincat's game is his play at even strength, which some might scoff at when they see that his on-ice shooting percentage is a meager 12.5. But the Red Wings as a unit have struggled to score at both even strength and 5-on-5, so DeBrincat's 56 Corsi For percentage is the number you want to look at.
If that number wasn't strong enough, DeBrincat's offensive zone starting percentage at even strength is just 46.8, meaning 53.2 percent of his starts are coming when the Wings are in the defensive zone. He's more than doing his job, helping to get the puck up the ice, through the neutral zone, and generating scoring chances in the offensive zone.
DeBrincat's chances aren't over yet despite the summertime snub
Just because DeBrincat didn't get an invite to orientation doesn't mean his chances of making the team are null and void. But it meant he was getting less consideration than other American-born players for the chance to represent the U.S.A. at the Winter Olympics.
At the one-quarter mark of the season, DeBrincat has been keeping his word with Bill Guerin, more than kicking it into high gear to do everything in his power to be one of the lucky few chosen for Milan. If DeBrincat keeps playing at the elite level he has been, then it should leave Guerin with no choice but to give him a spot on the roster.
With the Red Wings still lacking legitimate depth-scoring threats, it's up to DeBrincat to keep finding ways to put players like Patrick Kane, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond in the best possible positions to score while he keeps finding the net. We'll see if DeBrincat keeps up this stellar play over the next month and ultimately forces Guerin's hand.