Stecher is still skating and working out in Vancouver, awaiting more clarity on the start of the 2021 NHL schedule before making the move to Detroit. When he arrives, he'll see some familiar faces in former Canucks teammates Alex Biega and Sam Gagner.
"I know 'Bulldog' (Biega) really well," Stecher said. "We sat together in the locker room in Vancouver for two years. I'm excited to be back with him. I know his wife, Diane, and their three boys. We follow them on Instagram, my girlfriend and me. We keep in touch with them. They're a great family. Same with Sam Gagner. I know their family quite well. I'm excited to see them again and spend some quality time."
Stecher is listed at just 5-foot-10 and 186 pounds. But he's developed a reputation for his physical style of play and mixing it up on the ice during his young career, something he's eager to bring to Detroit.
"As an undersized guy, especially growing up through the ranks of junior and college, I think everybody kind of just labeled me just a strictly offensive guy," Stecher said. "Just being true to myself, I wouldn't say I was ever a superstar or someone that could dominate based on my skill. I've always kind of had to rely on my work ethic and that aspect of my game to kind of make up for everything else. It's something I pride myself on and I carry with me. I'll bring that same intensity to Detroit that I had in Vancouver."
That intensity will be a welcomed attribute for Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill and his coaching staff as they determine pairings and combinations during Training Camp. But in speaking to the coaches and management, it became clear to Stecher that nothing will be simply handed to any Red Wings player this season.
"Nobody's position is guaranteed or locked where they played," Stecher said. "So, the onus is on me to come to camp prepared, to earn the ice time that I want and that I feel I deserve. I've been looking for an opportunity to play a different role, kind of the role I played in college where I might be more of a go-to guy or somebody that the coaching staff can trust more. I hope to earn that here."
As many current and former players who have worn the Winged Wheel will express, the rich history and tradition of the Red Wings franchise is intriguing. It's often the differentiator that brings players to Hockeytown.
In Stecher's case, divine intervention may have led him to Detroit. Stecher unfortunately lost his father, Peter, to complications from diabetes on Father's Day earlier this year. Despite raising his family in British Columbia, Peter Stecher was a lifelong Wings fan.
"I don't want to get too personal, but I lost my dad this year, and he was a diehard Red Wings fan, even though we're from here in Vancouver," Stecher said. "I think a lot of people around his generation were, just with the success and the history that the organization has had. The amount of playoffs that they've made, and the Stanley Cups they've won. So, for me, I think it was a little message from my dad, kind of telling me that this was the place to be. I couldn't be more excited."
