Alex DeBrincat had himself a night in New Jersey. Despite a tough 5-4 loss to the Devils, the Detroit Red Wings' leading scorer secured two goals and an assist, bringing his point totals up to eight points in six games.
Now, it looks as if he'll be doing that for years to come in Hockeytown.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Detroit Red Wings and Alex DeBrincat are closing in on a seven year deal carrying an average annual value of $13M per season.
Despite the chaos of the offseason and the nightmarish 1-3-2 start in Detroit, DeBrincat has made it clear he wants to be part of the solution moving forward. During the summer, he stated frequently and publicly that he wanted to remain with the Red Wings long term. This contract, in turn, delivers upon that request at a healthy pay raise.
DeBrincat's purported $13M salary cap hit leads the team in cap, followed by a steep drop off to Moritz Seider's $8.55M deal.
How DeBrincat earned his extension
Since joining the Red Wings, no other player has produced at the level DeBrincat has. The Michigan native, since joining Detroit, leads all Red Wings skaters in goals scored with 111 in 252 games. His 230 points remain second only to Lucas Raymond, who has 232 in 250 games. Last season, DeBrincat led the Red Wings in scoring, producing 41 goals and 44 assists for 85 points in 82 games.
Any and all concerns of how DeBrincat will produce with the departure of Patrick Kane have evaporated thus far. Through six games, DeBrincat yet again leads the team in scoring, with four goals and eight points to boot.
Currently, DeBrincat plays on the second line with a crafty combination of Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard -- both of whom scored against the Devils. The trio combined for seven points against the Devils, producing four goals and three assists in that timeframe.
How DeBrincat's salary stacks up
Some may look at this extension and feel concerned about the price tag. After all, $13M a season is the most any Red Wing has made in terms of salary cap hit per season. Right now, DeBrincat's $7.875M salary cap hit accounts for 7.57% of the team's total salary. Next season, when the reported contract would kick in - and when the salary cap goes up to $113.5M - his $13M makes up 11.4% of the team's salary.
It's a leap in terms of value, but it's important to note what the deal will look like two seasons from now. Per Puckpedia, the NHL's salary cap is set to start at $127.5M. By then, DeBrincat's contract will only account for 10.1%. Assuming the cap continues to rise, DeBrincat's deal will grow lower and lower in total cap space as the deal goes on.
Ultimately, this contract locks the 28-year-old up through the remainder of his prime years. He'll be 35 by the time the contract comes to an end, and, at that point, the team can either choose to retain him or move on.
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