The Free Press’s Helene St. James breaks the Red Wings’ radio silence this morning, discussing the team’s front office machinations:
In selecting new leadership for the Detroit Red Wings, owner Christopher Ilitch is seeking outside assistance.
A league source told the Free Press that Ilitch has hired a search firm to help determine who should replace Steve Yzerman, who served as general manager from April 19, 2019-July 15, 2026, when it was announced he would transition to a role as a senior advisor.
In the meantime, assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff is handling day-to-day responsibilities, though that does not extend to making trades.
St. James also updates Dylan Larkin’s status, which remains the same…
But this is where the Wings find themselves as August ages: Without leadership, and with a captain, as Dylan Larkin has not budged on the request to be traded that he made shortly after the season ended on April 15.
And St. James reports that the Red Wings are looking to build an “analytics-driven” front office:
Ilitch, and by extension therefore the search firm, is believed to be looking for an analytics-driven person to take charge of the Wings, similar to how his Detroit Tigers plucked Scott Harris from the San Francisco Giants to guide the Detroit Tigers as president of baseball operations in September 2022.
…
The Wings have employed analytics within their hockey operations department, but it has been in an advisory capacity, not a decision-making one. But after 10 years of missing the playoffs, and seven disappointing years under Yzerman, it appears the Wings are in for a significant change in management style as the 2026-27 season draws closer.
