Had things gone according to plan for the Detroit Red Wings, they would have helped fill the void created by Brad Stuart's departure by signing defenseman Sami Salo. The Red Wings are hoping to replace Nicklas Lidstrom with defenseman Ryan Suter, and Helene St. James reports that they wanted Salo as well.
#Redwings made 2 year offer to D Sami Salo Sunday but lost him to Tampa Bay. Wanted to add both Suter & Salo.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) July 3, 2012
Salo, who spent the last nine seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, ended up signing a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning when NHL free agency opened. The deal is for two years and is worth $7.5 million.
The Red Wings may still look for additional help on defense even if they do land Suter. Let's not forget that they can bring back Kyle Quincey, who is a restricted free agent, but it looks as though Salo was one of their primary defensive targets.
For more on the Detroit Red Wings, check out Winging It In Motown. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page.