As noted yesterday, Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane were among the 44 players invited to Team USA’s Olympic Orientation Camp on August 26th and 27th at USA Hockey Arena, but Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen notes that Alex DeBrincat’s 39-goal 2024-2025 season wasn’t enough to earn an invite.
DeBrincat is entering his ninth NHL campaign, averaging 31.6 goals per season, and it still feels like the 5-foot-8 forward has to prove himself. During his draft year, he was a first-round talent who slipped to Chicago in the second round because scouts believed him to be too small. Team USA cut DeBrincat in his final season of eligibility for the World Junior Championships, even though at the time he showed 132 goals in 156 games over three seasons with the Erie Otters.
With the hockey world doubting him, he made the Blackhawks without playing a single game in the American Hockey League. He scored 28 goals in his rookie NHL season and still could not finish better than 10th in the Calder Trophy voting.
DeBrincat has never received the appreciation his performance level warrants.
The Michigan native scored 27 or more goals seven times in his eight years in the show. GM Steve Yzerman’s best trade as a Red Wings general manager was acquiring DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators. He gave up Dominik Kubalik, Donovan Sebrango, a first-round pick and a fourth to land a pure goal scorer who has scored 27 goals twice, and 39 goals once since coming to Detroit.
DeBrincat’s 39 goals ranked fourth among Americans, trailing only Tage Thompson (42), and Jake Guentzel and Kyle Connor who both netted 41 goals.
There is good news, however, in the fact that DeBrincat can still play his way onto the team:
Attending the camp doesn’t mean a player will play at the Olympics. Almost half of the invitees will not be named to the final roster for the 2026 Olympics in Italy (Feb. 5-22).
