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DALYoung Chicago Forward Alex DeBrincat Earning His Keep
There have been a few NHL success stories over the years for 5-foot-7-inch players and Alex DeBrincat of the Chicago Blackhawks now joins that select list. DeBrincat tips the scales at about 165 lbs and is just 20 years old, but he’s already proving to be a valuable member of the Blackhawks. The winger was taken with the 39th pick in the 2016 draft while starring with the Erie Otters of Canada’s Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He joined the junior team in 2014/15 as a free agent and notched 104 points in 68 games during his rookie season on 51 goals and 53 assists.
DeBrincat proved it wasn’t a fluke as he added 51 goals along with 50 helpers the next season in 60 games and posted 65 goals and 62 assists for 127 points in his last season with Erie in 63 outings. With those numbers it was a bit surprising he had to wait until the second round to be drafted, but many scouts felt he was too slow and of course too small to boot. Chicago obviously felt differently and took him the first chance they had since they didn’t have a pick in the first round that summer.
DeBrincat had enjoyed two years with the Otters before being drafted and then averaged a pair of points per game with the club the season after. This was seen as a great sign by Chicago management as he didn’t rest on his laurels after they selected him. Erie won the league championship that season and DeBrincat was named the OHL’s most outstanding player. It was just one of numerous honors bestowed upon the teenager while playing junior. He was named the 2014/15 rookie of the year in Canadian junior hockey and led his league in rookie points, goals and assists while being named to the Second All-Star Team.
He made the Third All-Star Team in 2015/16 and helped America win the World Junior Championship bronze medal. He wound his junior career up the next year by leading his league in points and goals and was named to the First All-Star Team as well as the Memorial Cup All-Star Squad. Erie won the league title that campaign as DeBrincat led the postseason with 38 points as well as in assists at 25. With his excellent junior career behind him and his confidence sky high it wasn’t surprising DeBrincat debuted with the Blackhawks in 2016/17.
The young man wasn’t just content to show up and make the roster though as he contributed with 52 points on 28 goals and 24 assists and led the team in goals scored. DeBrincat did his job as a rookie, but Chicago didn’t make the postseason as they finished in the cellar of the Central Division. However, DeBrincat didn’t go home to Farmington Hills, Michigan as he joined his American teammates at the World Championships and helped them land a bronze medal by scoring nine points in 10 games. When his season eventually came to an end he worked on his puck handling, speed and overall strength to prepare for the 2018/19 season.
The hard work during the summer paid off as DeBrincat came flying out of the gate with seven goals and 11 points in Chicago’s first eight games. He slowed down after that though and had nine goals and 16 points at the quarter mark of the season. But since his draft year, only four players have put more points up on the scoreboard than DeBrincat and all had played more games than him. These were Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes, Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames, The Winnipeg Jets’ Patrik Laine and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews.
DeBrincat placed sixth in rookie point scoring last year and third for goals and it looks like he’ll improve those totals this year even though the Blackhawks are struggling once again.
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