Amidst an impasse with former captain Dylan Larkin, the Detroit Red Wings have named Shawn Horcoff its interim general manager.
Horcoff, 47, has been in the team’s front office for the past decade. He was promoted to the club’s assistant GM in 2022 and also serves as the GM for the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
“As our process continues to find the best possible leader for Red Wings hockey operations, I’m appreciative of Shawn for stepping up to serve in this capacity,” team owner Chris Ilitch said in a statement. “His knowledge of our organization and range of experience allows us to operate with a clear decision-maker in place for the season ahead, while maintaining our commitment to carry out a thorough, methodical search process on our own timeline. Shawn has my complete support, and the authority to make decisions in the best interests of our organization.”
A native of Trail, BC, Horcoff appeared in 1,008 NHL games as a player across 15 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. He also represented Canada internationally on a number of occasions, winning gold medals at a pair of IIHF World Championships.
The team also announced that former GM Steve Yzerman had officially transitioned to the role of senior advisor to the governor and CEO. Yzerman, a team legend, stepped down as GM in July following seven seasons in the role.
In addition, the Red Wings offered an update on their search for a permanent GM.
“We’re focused on identifying an innovative decision maker who can lead the Red Wings to Stanley Cup success,” the team said. “We’ve had substantive conversations with talented executives over the past two months, and it’s been gratifying to see such strong interest in this organization and the calibre of candidates involved. This reflects our confidence in where this organization is headed. Our search continues, and we’re excited about the path forward. We’ll share updates when we have something meaningful to announce.”
The team says Horcoff is a candidate for the permanent job.
The new GM will likely be tasked with the matter of Larkin. The team’s highest-paid player, Larkin asked for a trade this offseason, but nothing has materialized as of yet. He will attend the team’s training camp and no longer wear the “C,” having been stripped of the captaincy.
The Red Wings open their regular season on Oct. 2 at home to the New York Rangers. The team has not made the playoffs in 10 years.
