The Hockey News’s Detroit correspondent, Sam Stockton, goes into a “deep dive” to analyze what exactly Alex DeBrincat’s game looks like from analytical and stylistic perspectives this evening, using analytics and video to determine what DeBrincat adds to the Red Wings as an offensive asset:
So where does this profile best fit in with Detroit?
The obvious answer, at least to start the season, is on Dylan Larkin’s wing. It’s fair to wonder who belongs in the other wing spot on that line (specifically, does it make more sense to pair those two with a third scorer like Lucas Raymond or more a worker bee/puck hunter like Michael Rasmussen).
Regardless, placing DeBrincat on Larkin’s wing should jump-start both players in 2023-24. It would give the former the chance he never had in Ottawa to flourish with his best teammates, and it would give the latter the kind of support Yzerman named as essential to the Red Wings’ off-season, before even the draft.
DeBrincat also belongs on the left flank of Detroit’s top power play unit, where he thrived in Chicago and Ottawa. Again, it will take some time to develop chemistry here. In Chicago, Kane and DeBrincat worked well on opposite flanks. In an ideal world, Lucas Raymond and DeBrincat will do the same.
DeBrincat also showed nice chemistry with Brady Tkachuk on the Sens’ power play, with Tkachuk doing an impressive job of creating from the goal line and DeBrincat finishing a number of those chances. The Wings don’t have that type of down-low playmaker on their roster (there are precious few of Tkachuk’s quality around the NHL) and the net-front spot on the power play may well be up for grabs. It will be interesting to see who ends up in that role, and whether they too can provide DeBrincat with quality service.
Continued, and his article is worth your time…
