Insider reveals how Steve Yzerman offended this star player before GM removal and the details all add up

Simon Edvinsson's contract stalemate under Todd McLellan has taken a new turn, with Steve Yzerman's reported opening offer now under the microscope.

NHL insider David Pagnotta revealed that Yzerman offered Edvinsson a bridge contract earlier this year worth less than $5 million annually, according to a report shared Thursday.

That number matters because Edvinsson had already established himself as a major piece of Detroit's blue line. The 23-year-old produced 25 points in 72 games last season while averaging 22:21 per night.

More importantly, Edvinsson remains unsigned on the eve of Detroit's season opener. Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is now responsible for trying to finish negotiations that began under Yzerman.

The clip attached to the report shows Pagnotta discussing the negotiations at the desk and pointing directly to the gap between Detroit's earlier bridge proposal and Edvinsson's current situation.

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Detroit's decision to move Yzerman out of the GM chair in July was already tied to a much broader organizational review. Chris Ilitch later said the league was evolving and Detroit needed its hockey leadership to evolve with it.

Edvinsson stalemate adds another Yzerman question

There is no confirmed evidence that the Edvinsson offer itself caused Yzerman's removal. But its timing adds another piece to the discussion surrounding the final months of his tenure.

Detroit missed the playoffs throughout Yzerman's seven seasons running hockey operations. The organization then moved him into a senior adviser role on July 15 before naming Horcoff interim GM on September 15.

The contract market also makes the reported proposal worth examining. Comparable young defensemen signed long-term deals above $7 million this summer, while Edvinsson's heavier deployment gave his camp reason to pursue a much larger commitment than a bridge contract.

That doesn't automatically make a bridge proposal unreasonable. Short-term contracts reduce immediate cap exposure and leave both sides another negotiation later.

But Detroit is now dealing with the consequence: one of its most important young defensemen is still without a contract as the regular season arrives.

Yzerman's patient approach defined much of his Detroit tenure. With Edvinsson, that patience may have left his successor one more major problem to solve.

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