{"id":545154,"date":"2026-04-07T08:07:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/545154\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T08:07:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:07:10","slug":"debrincat-continues-as-red-wings-big-cat-detroit-hockey-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/545154\/","title":{"rendered":"DeBrincat Continues As Red Wings’ Big Cat \/ Detroit Hockey Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s plenty of talk about who\u2019s to blame for the latest slide out of the playoffs by the Detroit<\/a> Red Wings.<\/p>\n

One name you won\u2019t hear mentioned is that of Alex DeBrincat<\/a>. While just about everything around him is falling apart, DeBrincat is a rare wearer of the Winged Wheel in that he\u2019s continuing to deliver the goods. <\/p>\n

Over the past 18 games, DeBrincat has accounted for nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points. He\u2019s collected a point in 15 of those 18 games. DeBrincat has accumulated six multi-point games during this span.<\/p>\n

Clearly, he\u2019s doing his part to keep the Red Wings in the playoff chase. <\/p>\n

While he\u2019s juggled his lines in search of solutions, Detroit coach Todd McLellan has maintained DeBrincat with Patrick Kane and Andrew Copp as a consistent forward unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe work so well together, play in their zone, and find each other,\u201d DeBrincat said. \u201cOverall, I think we\u2019re pulling up, we\u2019re finding guys, we\u2019re getting chances, and I think that\u2019s our bread and butter.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeBrincat Assembling Impressive List Of Red Wings Milestones<\/p>\n

DeBrincat leads all Red Wings skaters in goals (39), points (81), power-play goals (14), and shots (271) through 77 games.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s already established one team milestone this season and is on the brink of a few others. <\/p>\n

With his 80th point of the season last night, Alex DeBrincat became the first U.S.-born player in franchise history to record an 80-point season. pic.twitter.com\/3YdsjoQ4Qk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

DeBrincat is the first U.S.-born player to post an 80-point season. With 81 points, he\u2019s already surpassing Lucas Raymond (80 points, 2024-25) and Henrik Zetterberg (80 points, 2010-11) for the most points by a Detroit player in a single season in 17 years.<\/p>\n

During the 2008-09 season, the most recent one in which the Wings played in the Stanley Cup final, Pavel Datsyuk<\/a> led the Red Wings in scoring with 97 points. <\/p>\n

Since the 1997-98 season, Datsyuk and Sergei Fedorov<\/a> are the only Red Wings players to account for more points in a single season than DeBrincat\u2019s 81 points this season. <\/p>\n

With 39 goals, DeBrincat is two shy of his career high of 41. He set that total with Chicago in 2018-19, then equaled it in 2021-22, also with the Blackhawks.<\/p>\n

If he nets one more goal, DeBrincat will be Detroit\u2019s first 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa in 2008-09. If he gets to 41, he\u2019ll be even with Brendan Shanahan\u2019s total for the 1999-2000 Red Wings. No Detroit player has scored more than 41 goals in a season since Shanahan netted 47 goals in 1996-97. <\/p>\n

A Red Wings player hasn\u2019t scored at least 40 goals in a season when the team missed the playoffs since current Detroit GM Steve Yzerman<\/a> scored 62 goals for the 1989-90 team.<\/p>\n