The Detroit Red Wings’ internal mess has truly affected the team’s ability to get better this offseason. The lack of a GM in place has essentially vaporized any real chance of making upgrades to the lineup at a critical juncture this summer.
In particular, the mess led to the Red Wings blowing their chance to land a 30-goal scorer in free agency this summer. Specifically, that scorer is Anthony Mantha.
Mantha, a former Detroit first-round pick from 2013, was eyeing a reunion with the Wings. According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, assistant GM Shawn Horcoff had a deal in place that would bring Mantha back to the Motor City. However, the deal fell through the cracks on the day that Steve Yzerman was removed from the GM role.
“…on the day Yzerman’s removal was announced, assistant GM Shawn Horcoff had a deal in place with Anthony Mantha, but it fell through while (Chris) Ilitch deliberated.”
So, the story pretty much paints a picture of where an ill-timed decision led to a terrible move. In this case, it led to a non-move, one that ended up costing the organization.
Since falling through, Mantha signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils for $9.5 million. Given the ridiculous going rates nowadays, this was a move the Red Wings could have easily made. Instead, Mantha fell through the cracks, leaving the team with far more questions than answers.
The Cost of Indecision Catching Up to Red Wings
The Mantha non-deal is just one example of how costly indecision can be. Another situation cited in the aforementioned report posited that the Red Wings had a chance to add Steven Stamkos in 2024, but once again, indecision played a role in the deal falling through.
With that in mind, it seems that the finger has to point towards Detroit’s ownership. If the ownership group has the final word, then something has to change. Yes, there is a place for taking time to think things through.
But to what extent does taking too long to deliberate result in missed opportunities?
That’s the crux of the matter here. Taking too long to decide is something that could end up doing far more harm than good.
What to read next:
Next GM in Detroit Will Face Same Situation
Ultimately, the Red Wings’ next GM will likely face a similar situation. Even if the club has a great person in place, the indecision atop the team’s hierarchy could lead to the next GM being handcuffed. That’s not a good place to be in, especially with highly competitive NHL free agent and trade markets.
Unless ownership is willing to expedite decisions on potential deals, many more missed opportunities could come down the pipeline. That’s no bueno, especially for a team looking to emerge from a near decade-long rebuild.
Unless there can be clarity in what the next GM can and can’t do, there will always be a bottleneck that could continue costing the club opportunities to make significant upgrades to the club.
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