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Alex DeBrincat named Red Wings alternate captain days after signing extension

Alex DeBrincat now wears an “A” for the Red Wings, joining Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond as alternate captains on a team still without a captain.

Shaun
1–2 minutes

Alex DeBrincat is now an alternate captain for the Detroit Red Wings. The Farmington Hills native found an “A” stitched on his No. 93 jersey when he arrived for Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Little Caesars Arena, his first game since signing a seven-year, $91 million extension on Oct. 14.

DeBrincat joins defenseman Moritz Seider and forward Lucas Raymond as Detroit’s alternate captains. The Red Wings have not named a captain this season. Dylan Larkin no longer wears the “C” after asking for a trade in the offseason, and coach Todd McLellan has described the team’s approach as shared leadership.

Why DeBrincat

McLellan explained the choice to MLive’s Ansar Khan, saying giving DeBrincat the letter “wasn’t a hard decision by any means.” He called DeBrincat a steady, rudder-type presence and said his mix of skill and competitiveness reflects what the Red Wings want to become. McLellan added that DeBrincat pushes teammates without snapping at them and has helped young forwards such as Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard settle in.

DeBrincat told Detroit Hockey Now the honor means a lot but that “it’s just a letter,” and he said he plans to keep leading the way he has been.

On the ice

DeBrincat is off to a fast start. He tied Saturday’s game against San Jose with 1:33 left in regulation, his team-leading fifth goal, and the Red Wings went on to win 4-3 in a shootout. The goal was the 299th of his NHL career, leaving him one short of 300 as Detroit heads west. He is coming off his third career 41-goal season.

The Red Wings (3-3-2) open a four-game road trip Tuesday at Seattle at 9:40 p.m. on Detroit SportsNet, then visit Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton.

Sources

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