Detroit Red Wings fans got some much-needed good news on Tuesday, with the club signing Alex DeBrincat to a seven-year, $91 million deal.
That contract extension was a three-foot putt. The Cat had made it clear he wanted to stay in Detroit. So, it wasn’t going to take much to get him inked.
The problem is that the Red Wings may have signed the wrong guy first. Now, this isn’t a cap space issue. This is an optics issue. Specifically, the club should have prioritized Simon Edvinsson ahead of DeBrincat.
The thought process here is simple: It’s always best to take care of hard situations first, leaving the easier ones for last.
Yes, you can argue that Shawn Horcoff wanted to get DeBrincat out of the way and focus solely on Edvinsson and Dylan Larkin. But then again, wouldn’t it have made sense to really make a strong push for Edvisson, especially after Horcoff continues to vow his desire to sign the 23-year-old blueliner?
Red Wings GM Shawn Horcoff says he has "zero interest" in trading Simon Edvisson. "Not something I'm entertaining. We want to sign him."
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) October 14, 2026
Kudos to Horcoff for doing the most obvious thing first. There are actually few who would take care of the most evident piece of business ahead of other issues.
The bottom line, however, is that Horcoff cannot let this Edvinsson situation drag on any longer.
DeBrincat signing is all about optics for Red Wings
There is no question that the DeBrincat signing is all about optics for the Red Wings organization. The team has gotten such a black eye stemming from the Larkin trade request, the GM mess, and the Edvinsson debacle.
That’s why getting the Debrincat extension done without a hitch was a massive step towards restoring confidence in the organization.
The signing is also a sign to a guy like Edvinsson that the team isn’t falling apart. Yes, there was a hiccup there with former GM Steve Yzerman and Larkin. But Larkin has been a good marine, playing well even after losing his captaincy. Meanwhile, Horcoff is doing his best to keep things afloat despite the sour start to the season.
If there is a under-the-radar silver lining to this DeBrincat situation, it’s that an Edvinsson contract may not be too far off now. The organization has sent everyone the right message in extending DeBrincat. So now, it’s just a matter of seeing if that move will translate to good will across the board.
Sometimes, an event like the DeBrincat extension can be enough to spark a mental turnaround for the team.
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