Teams have held Alex DeBrincat without a goal across the first four games of the 2025-26 season. But you know what? That's fine, because the Detroit Red Wings winger, despite taking 15 shots on goal so far, is leading the team with six points, and they're all assists.
For the NHL, this should be terrifying because if you can shut DeBrincat out, then he's going to find another way to hurt you. But DeBrincat is known for his goal-scoring, and it won't be long until he finds his rhythm and starts firing pucks past opposing goaltenders.
This means DeBrincat, not Dylan Larkin or Lucas Raymond, can end up as the Red Wings' leading points producer. And if he already has six assists in four contests, then the burning question is: How many points is DeBrincat capable of scoring this season?
Do the math, and he's on pace for 123 points, which would put him in Hart Trophy contention. While things might even out and he will more than likely get end up with a points total well below that threshold, even if he snagged between 90 and 100 points, he will go down as one of the NHL's most notorious points producers.
Alex DeBrincat could be taking his game up into the stratosphere
What's more? DeBrincat's chemistry with Patrick Kane seems to be at an all-time high, given Kane's performance so far this season and the fact that they often play on the same line. Then, add in proven talents like Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond in the top six, plus up-and-comers like Marco Kasper and Emmitt Finnie, and DeBrincat has an arsenal of scorers and playmakers at his disposal.
This will make him ultra tough to defend should he keep up this high-octane play. But it's something we always should have expected. Looking back at DeBrincat's career, he's always been a solid points producer, but rarely elite. So this is just the next natural step for him to take, and it's been brewing since his age-21 season in 2018-19.
And one thing is for certain: He will be a key factor in ensuring the Wings return to the top-10 scoring team they were in 2023-24. It was a season that saw them lose out on snapping their playoff drought by a tiebreaker, but it points to one certainty: The Wings are indeed a threat to claw their way into the postseason if they're playing elite hockey when they have the puck.
That said, if the Wings end up snapping that near-decade playoff drought in April 2026, don't be surprised when it coincides with DeBrincat setting a new personal best in points. If he enjoys a few more games like he's had so far in the back half of October, it's all but a guarantee.