If you attempt to install a tool that doesn't exist, the step will fail, but there is nothing in the steps log.

You would see something like the attached in the stage view. The log should explain what is missing in the tool:

(problem isn't with stage view, but is with the steps output)

To reproduce:

node {
  stage 'Checkout'
  checkout scm
  
  stage 'Build'
  def mvnHome = tool 'NONSENSE'
}

and look at the stage graph to see that it has no output