BELLEVILLE, Mich. — Receiving an unforgettable offseason experience, Alex DeBrincat flew with Major Scott Laux of the Blue Angels, an elite flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy, at Willow Run Airport on Saturday morning.
“That was wild,” DeBrincat, with a big grin, told DetroitRedWings.com shortly after disembarking the backseat of the Blue Angels’ No. 7 F/A – 18 Super Hornet. “I feel like you can look online and see all the stuff, but you don’t really get the full thing until you’re out there. It was pretty fun.”
As part of this weekend’s 2025 Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, the Detroit Red Wings forward, alongside Ann Arbor Pioneer High School swim coach Stefanie Kersha, both were selected by the Blue Angels as “Key Influencer” riders. Kersha took to the skies on Tuesday afternoon, while DeBrincat’s flight was rescheduled to later in the week.
However, the pair completed the pre-flight safety briefing together, learning the proper breathing techniques and layout of the cockpit with U.S. Navy Aviation Support Equipment Technician First Class Crew Chief Tamara Perez, so DeBrincat was all set when he returned to the two-runway airport on Saturday…