What the Red Wings Could Have Looked Like With Steven Stamkos

The Red Wings reportedly came close to signing Steven Stamkos in 2024. How different could Detroit look today if the deal had gone through?

Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91). Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Red Wings and Steven Stamkos reportedly came closer to a deal than many fans realized. According to a recent report from the Detroit Times, the Red Wings were close to signing the longtime Tampa Bay Lightning captain in 2024, but the deal ultimately fell apart after team owner and CEO Chris Ilitch hesitated to approve the offer.

The Red Wings were reportedly close to signing Steven Stamkos in 2024, per @cmonarrez

The deal eventually fell apart after CEO and Owner Chris Ilitch was unsure about the move and hesitated to approve the offer to Stamkos. pic.twitter.com/q0yaS0dvWh

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) August 17, 2026

Stamkos ultimately landed with the Nashville Predators on a four-year, $32 million contract, giving him an $8 million annual cap hit.

Two years later, it is worth wondering: What would the Red Wings have looked like if Stamkos had actually signed in Detroit?

Stamkos Would Have Added Another Elite Scorer

At the time, Detroit was looking to add more offensive firepower around Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat. Adding Stamkos would have given the Red Wings another proven goal scorer and, perhaps more importantly, another legitimate threat on the power play.

Stamkos was coming off a 40-goal, 81-point season with Tampa Bay in 2023-24, proving he still had plenty of gas left in the tank despite being 34 years old.

In addition to this, Steve Yzerman knew Stamkos extremely well from their time together in Tampa Bay. Derek Lalonde, Detroit's head coach at the time, also had a history with Stamkos from his time on Jon Cooper's coaching staff. Bringing in a player of Stamkos' caliber to a team with familiar faces could have had a positive impact on the team.

The Power Play Could Have Been a Major Weapon

This might have been the biggest immediate impact. Stamkos has built a potential Hall of Fame career on his ability to find open ice and unleash one of the NHL's most dangerous shots, specifically on the man advantage.

A top-six group featuring Larkin, Raymond, DeBrincat and Stamkos would have given Detroit a completely different look. Instead of relying so heavily on its younger stars to carry the offense, the Red Wings would have had a two-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the best power-play shooters of his generation providing another scoring option.

It Wouldn't Have Been Without Risk

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) handles the puck against Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53). Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Stamkos was 34 when he signed with Nashville, and Detroit reportedly would have needed to give him the fourth year that Nashville eventually offered. That means the Red Wings would have likely still been carrying the $8 million cap hit for him into the 2027-28 season, when he will be 38, which is a significant commitment for an aging forward.

There is also no guarantee that Stamkos would have transformed the team into a Stanley Cup contender overnight. The Red Wings still had, and would have had, plenty of holes to address elsewhere on the roster.

Still, the opportunity to add a player with Stamkos' resume and scoring ability was a fascinating one.

Detroit's Timeline Could Have Looked Very Different

This is ultimately what makes the hypothetical signing so interesting. Stamkos would not have simply been another veteran added to the roster; he would have changed the way Detroit's lineup was constructed and potentially altered some of the moves that followed.

Some of the bigger questions include whether or not the Red Wings would have pursued the same free agents, if young players would have been given the same opportunities, and if Larkin would still be in the same situation he is now.