The Detroit Red Wings are entering what could be the most important offseason of Steve Yzerman’s tenure as general manager. After a late-season collapse in March that stretched Detroit’s playoff drought to 10 painful, consecutive years, the pressure is on the Red Wings’ front office to make things happen.
That urgency only increased after reports surfaced that captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, leaving many wondering how aggressively the Red Wings will pursue roster upgrades this summer.
One player often connected to the Red Wings is a $65 million center, but a new report suggests the Red Wings may not be interested at all.
Detroit Red Wings Pass on $65M Center
The player at the center of the speculation is St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas, who has five years remaining on the eight-year, $65 million contract he signed, making him one of the league’s most attractive top-six centers.
Ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, Detroit was repeatedly connected to Thomas. NHL insiders reported that the Red Wings were exploring the possibility of adding him to create a formidable one-two punch down the middle alongside Larkin.
But with the trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, the conversation appears to have shifted.
Longtime Detroit insider Keith Gave recently pushed back hard against speculation linking the Red Wings to Thomas all over again. “The Wings scouted Robert Thomas heavily in the weeks prior to the trade deadline. The consensus from the GM on down: Absolutely zero interest. Any speculation to the contrary is just that by so-called “insiders” throwing shit at a wall; wild, inaccurate speculation,” Gave said.
He doubled down by sharing what he claimed was the opinion of one Detroit scout. “In the exact words of one Detroit scout amid all the rumors about Robert Thomas: “Zero interest. We saw a lot of him. He’s a f**king dog,” he added.
Those comments immediately raised eyebrows, given how often Detroit had been connected to Thomas earlier in the season.
The Price May Have Been the Real Problem
The problem may not have been Robert Thomas himself; it may have been the price to acquire him.
Reports suggested Blues GM Doug Armstrong was asking for a huge return and turned down major offers from several teams. For Detroit, a deal likely would have required a 2026 first-round pick, top prospects such as Nate Danielson or Trey Augustine, and additional assets.
That’s the kind of move Steve Yzerman has typically avoided. The Red Wings have spent years building up their prospect pool and future assets, and giving up that much for one player may have been too steep a cost.
The contract could have also played a role. With Thomas signed to a long-term $65 million deal, Detroit may have decided that both the trade price and financial commitment didn’t fit its long-term plans.
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While Gave’s “zero interest” comments certainly grabbed headlines, it’s difficult to believe any team would truly have no interest in a 26-year-old top-line center signed through his prime years.
The more likely explanation is that Detroit liked the player but not the cost.
