Could Alex DeBrincat End Red Wings' Nearly Two Decade 90-Point Drought?

The Red Wings haven't had a 90-point player since 2008-09.

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Five points. That's all that came between Alex DeBrincat and accomplishing something no Red Wings player has done in nearly two decades. DeBrincat had 41 goals and 85 points last season. It was the best point output of his NHL career. Not since Marian Hossa in 2008-09 has a Red Wing scored 40 or more goals in a season. But when it came to notching 90 points, DeBrincat fell just short of the mark.

It's Been a Long Time

Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Back in 2008-09, Pavel Datsyuk notched 32 goals and 97 points in 81 games. Datsyuk also had 97 points in 2007-08, while Henrik Zetterberg had 92 points for the Red Wings squad that eventually won the Stanley Cup over the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. Players like Datsyuk and Zetterberg could score 90 points in their sleep. Now, Red Wings fans dream about the days when they have a 90-point player again.

DeBrincat Is Knocking on the Door

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DeBrincat didn't merely have a career year. He put himself into territory Detroit hasn't seen very often in the post-Datsyuk era. And 90 isn't asking for some enormous leap. He needs just five additional points over a now-84-game season. He had 1.03 points per game in 2025-26. In order to hit the magic number of 90 in the 84-game season in 2026-27, DeBrincat would have to bring 1.07 points per game to the table. It's certainly not out of the question.

The Goals Are Already There

The biggest path to 90 points isn't needing DeBrincat to score 50 goals. It's adding assists. He's already demonstrated that 40 goals are attainable. A slight improvement in his playmaking could get him to the ultimate goal.

The two additional games will also help. It doesn't sound like much, but for someone who averaged slightly more than a point per game, that's potentially another two or three points on the stat sheet.

Detroit has spent years searching for the next player capable of producing offense at a level once routinely associated with its stars. The days of players like Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov scoring 100 points in a season seem like a fantasy when looking at the last 17 years.

DeBrincat doesn't need to reach Datsyuk 97-point territory. Individual milestones won't determine whether Detroit takes another step in 2026-27. But if DeBrincat is threatening 90 points deep into the season, chances are the Red Wings will have something much more important to play for as well.