RUMOR: Steve Yzerman came close to signing Anthony Mantha

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
RUMOR: Steve Yzerman came close to signing Anthony Mantha
Credit: Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images

Things have been pretty hectic in Detroit during the offseason.

I'd say that's not surprising, since the “Yzerplan” didn't work out and it's been a long time since the team made the playoffs.

The status quo was untenable.

Dylan Larkin got the ball rolling by asking to be traded. The fact that his request was made public sent shockwaves through the NHL and put the Red Wings in a bind.

Patrick Kane, in particular, left because he couldn't see how he could win in Detroit without Larkin.

And obviously, no one is going to convince me that there's no connection between the captain's request and Steve Yzerman's “new mandate” within the Red Wings organization.

Yzerman knew he was in trouble and that he had to do something to improve his team's offense. And according to a Detroit reporter, he came close to achieving his goal.

Ansar Khan (MLive) reported that two days before his team announced he was no longer the team's GM, Steve Yzerman offered Anthony Mantha a one-year contract.

Of course, Mantha is a former first-round pick of the team. It was Yzerman himself who traded him away in 2021.

According to the reporter, Mantha came close to signing with the Red Wings for one year at $5 million. He ultimately signed a two-year deal with New Jersey worth $4.75 million per year.

Why did he come close to signing and then back out? Did he ultimately receive a multi-year offer that made him change his mind?

Since Steve Yzerman's departure was announced on July 15, it seems likely that the Quebec native came close to signing with Detroit on July 13.

Did we mention things have been pretty hectic in Detroit?


In a nutshell

– Note.

– Ivan Demidov is in California.

– Things are heating up.

– Is he going to commute from New York to Philly every day?

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