This morning, the Free Press’s Carlos Monarrez addresses Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s report that the Detroit Red Wings are considering hiring an analytics-based general manager/hockey executive this summer, and that Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg may be a candidate for the position.
Monarrez doesn’t see the fit, but he also suggests that the Red Wings have struggled with incorporating underlying analytical data into their day-to-day operations:
A person familiar with Yzerman’s approach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Yzerman thought hockey is “still trying to figure out what analytics work.”
That led to Yzerman struggling to explain hockey in analytic terms Ilitch prefers.
“He had to speak an analytical language he wasn’t familiar with,” the person said. “And he had no idea what he was telling [Ilitch]. He had to explain in analytical terms and not hockey terms.”
Analytics can be helpful in any sport. But baseball’s use of data tools is entirely unique, and if Ilitch thinks any GM, even [Tigers GM Jeff] Greenberg, can use a few key metrics to synthesize what leads to success in hockey, he’s setting himself up to be charmed by the smoothest talker with the best PowerPoint presentation.
According to Monarrez, Chris Ilitch’s indecision on the hockey side of his Red Wings and Tigers business operations isn’t helping the situation…
According to a person of knowledge of the situation, Ilitch’s hesitation in approving big signings cost the Wings two big names: Steven Stamkos in 2024 and, on the day Yzerman’s removal was announced, assistant GM Shawn Horcoff had a deal in place with Anthony Mantha, but it fell through while Ilitch deliberated.
And Monarrez states that the Red Wings’ employees are not happy with what’s going on at LCA right now:
As the Wings’ sad summer saga drags on, things feel bleaker than ever for Wings staff who work at Little Caesars Arena under the direction (or lack thereof) of Tigers executives. Part of the problem is not having a Wings GM in charge.
One Wings employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was “chaotic at LCA” with “no direction. … They’re not hockey people. They’re all baseball people.”
