Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff wonders aloud whether the members of Detroit’s front office are, in his terms, “Dead men walking” as the Red Wings’ next GM or President of Hockey Operations may wish to “clean house” and install their own staff:
What we do know is that, for the time being, assistant GM Shawn Horcoff appears to be the man calling the shots in the hockey operations department. What also seems apparent is that owner Chris Ilitch is looking for systemic change within the club’s front office.
So where does that leave people like Lidstrom, director of amateur scouting Kris Draper, and player development director Dan Cleary?
Who knows? Are they dead men walking? Probably.
Even Horcoff’s sudden status as the interim man in charge offers him little in the way of job security. Whoever is ultimately hired as GM of the Red Wings will want to bring in his own management team.
That means even Detroit coach Todd McLellan and his staff are certainly wondering what the future holds for them.
Continued; my gut feeling remains that the next GM/President of Hockey Operations won’t be dumb enough to fire a franchise legend like Lidstrom, and I do believe that McLellan will be the Red Wings’ coach for at least one more season.
As far as Draper and Horcoff are concerned, their tenures with Detroit may be more tenuous as the new GM may want to revamp the amateur scouts and remainder of the front office.
