The Detroit Red Wings acquired forward Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators and then signed him to a four-year contract extension.
The Alex DeBrincat saga is over.
The Ottawa Senators finally found their disgruntled winger a new home on Sunday, trading DeBrincat to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for forward Dominik Kubalik, defenseman Donovan Sebrango, and a conditional first- and fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
Following the trade, DeBrincat then signed a four-year contract extension with the Red Wings that carries an average annual value of $7.875 million. The deal, which ties DeBrincat to Detroit through the 2026-27 season, will allow the speedy winger to test unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career upon expiry and hit the open market at 29 years old.
It seemed as if it was always destined to end this way. DeBrincat had been rumored to prefer the Red Wings ever since his desire to seek a trade out of Ottawa was first reported. Now, the 25-year-old gets his wish, heading to the Motor City after racking up 27 goals and 39 assists for 66 points in 82 games in his lone season in the Nation's Capital. After two 40-goal seasons to start his career, 2022-23 was seen as something of a down year for DeBrincat, who can hopefully bounce back now that he's landed in his new spot.
The Senators, on the other hand, manage to recoup some assets for a player who didn't appear interested in signing long-term with them, adding a first-round pick and a 20-goal forward in Kubalik, along with a fourth-rounder and a prospect. It's not how the organization wanted things to go after acquiring DeBrincat in a splashy move on the first night of the 2022 NHL draft, but GM Pierre Dorion deserves some credit for making the best of a bad situation.