Steven Stamkos nearly joined the roster Todd McLellan now coaches, according to a report revisiting Detroit's 2024 free-agent push.
Carlos Monarrez reported that the Red Wings were close to signing Stamkos when the star forward reached free agency in 2024.
The deal reportedly reached a point where Detroit had an offer ready, putting the organization within striking distance of adding one of the biggest names available that summer.
Then the process stalled. According to the report, ownership became uncertain about the move and hesitated to give final approval to the proposed Stamkos offer.
That's the part that makes this more than another free-agent near miss. Detroit apparently wasn't beaten to the player after simply deciding the price was too high.
Instead, the Red Wings were reportedly close enough for internal hesitation to become the deciding factor. A major roster addition disappeared before it could reach the finish line.
For a club searching for another level offensively, missing that opportunity carries more weight when the reason came from inside the organization.
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Stamkos would have brought proven scoring, power-play finishing and another established voice into a locker room trying to move beyond the rebuilding stage.
His arrival also could have changed the pressure on Dylan Larkin. Detroit's captain produced 34 goals and 67 points last season while continuing to carry a major share of the offensive workload.
There is no way to know how the 2024-25 season would have unfolded with Stamkos in Detroit. The important part is that the Red Wings reportedly believed strongly enough in the fit to move close to an agreement.
That puts the decision-making process under the microscope. Hockey departments can identify a target and negotiate terms, but ownership still has the ability to stop a major commitment before it happens.
McLellan inherited the consequences of every roster decision made before his arrival. One of those decisions may now include a star forward Detroit nearly had but ultimately didn't sign.
The revelation also gives Red Wings fans another what-if from a stretch where the organization has been trying to turn patience into meaningful progress.
Detroit didn't simply miss on Steven Stamkos from a distance. If the report is accurate, the Red Wings were close enough that one internal hesitation may have changed the direction of an entire offseason.
Did Detroit make a major mistake by hesitating on Steven Stamkos?
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