The Detroit Red Wings' rebuild has been stuck in neutral for the last few seasons. Former general manager Steve Yzerman was supposed to bring the Wings back to relevance, but, unfortunately, things didn't work out. The team is currently in the middle of a 10-year playoff drought -- the longest active streak in the NHL.
It has gotten so bad that GM Steve Yzerman stepped down and captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade. The Wings are in desperate need of something to turn their fortunes around, and one huge piece that could move it along is if Alex DeBrincat can become a consistent 40-goal scorer.
Alex DeBrincat could give the Red Wings the offense they have been looking for
Throughout his NHL career, DeBrincat has registered 40 or more goals three times, most recently scoring 41 in 82 games this past season. With that said, his career average is around 35 goals with 35 assists -- making him a 70 point player. While this is good production and a great player to build around, getting just five more goals out of him would go a long way. It would put him among some of the elite goal scorers in hockey and help the Red Wings find the threat they have been missing.
For the past couple of seasons, the Red Wings have been one of the worst scoring teams in hockey. They averaged only 2.87 goals per game in 2024-25 and 2.91 in 2025-26. Both of these were the 11th-lowest marks in the NHL. Their inability to score goals has been one of the main reasons the Red Wings have failed to make the playoffs. It is an issue that the Red Wings need to fix if they want to be competitive in 2026-27.
If DeBrincat becomes a consistent 40-goal scorer, it would go a long way towards fixing those offensive woes. It might even result in a few extra wins and could potentially be the difference between the Wings making the playoffs and spending another summer on their couches. Keep in mind that, just a few seasons back, the Red Wings were one point away from making the playoffs.
It would also establish DeBrincat as one of the faces of the Wings and a central piece to build around.
Alex DeBrincat already an elite scorer
DeBrincat is more than capable of adding a few more goals to his averages. Since NHL Edge started tracking shot-on-goal locations in 2021-22, DeBrincat has ranked in the 94th percentile or higher in shot-on-goal locations, with his shots sitting around 88-89 mph. While it isn't the fastest, it is fast enough to get the better of a goaltender. If he can get some better shooting lanes and a little more luck, getting those five more goals will be very easy.
If the Red Wings want to be a contender in 2026-27, they need DeBrincat to get at least 40 goals again. They need him to lead the offense and help the Red Wings average over three goals per game.
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