Red Wings Pushed Hard for Ekblad With Huge UFA Offer

The Detroit Red Wings were reportedly willing to make a significant offer to Aaron Ekblad this summer, but the two-time Stanley Cup champion ultimately re-signed with the Florida Panthers on a discount deal for $6.1 million per season.

According to James Mirtle of The Athletic, Ekblad could have earned significantly more if he had agreed to accept an offer from the Red Wings and GM Steve Yzerman. Yzerman has taken a couple of swings this summer, missing on a few, but landing one in goaltender John Gibson. He’s trying to make his team better, and he saw Ekblad as a potentially key piece for his blue line.

Detroit has been rebuilding for several seasons, but nothing seems to do more than make a marginal difference. Looking to be a more consistent playoff contender, Yzerman and his staff continue to explore ways to strengthen the roster. Ekblad was an option, and there was some doubt ahead of free agency that he’d find the road back to the Panthers. He wanted to stay, but money was going to be tight if Florida was to retain all three of Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand. They found a way to do it, but Ekblad was arguably the only player of the three to take a discount.

Detroit Continues to Struggle Landing Big Names

Ekblad wasn’t the only player the Red Wings chased. Reports indicate the Red Wings also expressed interest in players like Nikolaj Ehlers, though he wasn’t willing to meet with them.

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Mirtle notes that Detroit is no longer the premier destination for unrestricted free agents. The lack of success and confusion over the ‘Yzerplan’ has made top-tier UFAs more hesitant to sign. Mirtle writes, “The biggest thing working against the Red Wings, and the reason they’re having to overpay lower-tier talent to add free agents, is that they just haven’t been competitive enough.”

They have some strong young talent, but many believe they’re wasting the best years of players like Dylan Larkin, Simon Edvinsson, and Marco Kasper. Adding a marquee free agent like Ekblad would have helped. It could be why Yzerman was willing to spend big, even if the free agency offer is not officially known.

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