The trade deadline was, by all accounts, a success for the Detroit Red Wings. While they were unable to add a second line center, they strengthened their defense and added a solid middle-six veteran to the mix. All that, however, could've changed quite drastically with one phone call. According to Darren Dreger on the Sekeres & Price podcast, defenseman Tyler Myers was very nearly a Detroit Red Wing.
Days before the trade deadline, the Dallas Stars acquired Tyler Myers after the Red Wings publicly expressed their interest in the towering defenseman. "If Dallas didn't find a way to get that done," Dreger said, "I think Tyler Myers would've waived to go to Detroit."
Why Tyler Myers chose Dallas over Detroit
The important thing, Dreger notes, is that it was never about what the Red Wings did or didn't bring to the table. Myers, a native of Houston, always wanted to go to Dallas. "Dallas was the target all along," Dreger said. "Dallas was always the top choice."
While Myers ultimately chose the Stars over the Red Wings, this situation is significantly different from the nixed Colton Parayko trade to the Buffalo Sabres. Where Parayko ultimately chose to honor his no trade clause, Myers waited for all his options to manifest themselves.
"The difference between Myers and [Colton Parayko] is that Detroit stepped in early," Dreger added. "Myers had enough time to let the process play out. But it was right at crunch time. He wanted to do right by the Red Wings."
Myers trade would have drastically changed Red Wings makeup
If Yzerman had successfully traded for Tyler Myers, there's no telling what trades would and wouldn't have happened. After all, the Elmer Soderblom trade allowed the Red Wings to use their newly-acquired third round pick as a piece for Justin Faulk. If Yzerman believed Myers was the solution on the second pairing, there's a chance one (or both) of those trades wouldn't have happened at all.
Trading for Myers early on may have opened up additional time for Yzerman to negotiate other deals. There were several players that got away from the Red Wings over the deadline. With more time at his disposal, could Yzerman have secured a second line center or additional defensive depth? It's hard to say.
Myers' approach speaks to Red Wings culture
Myers went out of his way to do right by the Red Wings, informing them as soon as he ultimately went to Dallas that Texas was always his priority. This speaks to both Tyler Myers as a player and the Red Wings as an organization. Rather than let resentment foment, Myers elected to do right early on, showing his respect for the Red Wings as well as his understanding of the team's culture.
Ultimately, the trade for Myers didn't pan out. Whether this is a success or a failure will ultimately depend on the performance of Myers in Dallas and how Justin Faulk works out in Detroit.