Red Wings Forward Could Be Perfect Target for NY Islanders in Free Agency Next Year

Is a potential free agent forward from the Detroit Red Wings a perfect target for New York Islanders?

Jan 10, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a Detroit Red Wings logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders have had a mostly quiet offseason after a 91-point campaign. However, this is a group that is building toward the future, and next summer could be a big one. 

Coming into this offseason, the Islanders weren’t expected to be major players in free agency, and that proved to be true. New York’s biggest addition was Matias Maccelli, who was an appealing value addition at a reasonable number.

However, the team did lose their captain Anders Lee in free agency to a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth. At 35 years old, letting Lee leave in free agency for a deal worth that much did make sense, especially considering what the plan is. 

New general manager Mathieu Darche is building toward the future, and the Islanders have a lot of young prospects coming up in their system. Furthermore, with the emergence of Matthew Schaefer as a star in the league already, that has immensely helped their rebuild. 

Now, while the cap situation isn’t the best for the team currently, they are expected to be in excellent shape next offseason. With that being said, one potential free agent who could make a ton of sense for them is Detroit Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat. 

Alex DeBrincat Could Be an Appealing Target Next Summer

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat (93) skates against the New York Rangers during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After another year of missing the playoffs, the plan going forward for the Red Wings is a bit uncertain. With center Dylan Larkin requesting a trade but not yet being dealt, what their roster will look like on opening night is very uncertain. 

However, entering the final year of his deal, DeBrincat is set to be a free agent next summer and will be one of the top options on the board. It was a career-year for the talented winger last season, totaling 85 points on 41 goals and 44 assists. 

At 28 years old, he has emerged as a great offensive weapon in the league. Now, with some star-caliber numbers last season, he is going to be primed for a big deal next summer. 

For the Islanders, this is a team that is without a doubt going to be in need of some scoring help next summer. With the team expected to have around $40 million in cap space, surely some of that should be going to Schaefer when he’s eligible for an extension next summer. However, DeBrincat could fill a major need for them offensively and would be an excellent fit on paper.