DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings will start training camp this week with leaders of the front office and the team in limbo.
The Red Wings named Shawn Horcoff as interim general manager and shifted former GM Steve Yzerman to his new role as a senior advisor for the franchise.
Red Wings CEO Chris Ilitch made the moves Tuesday, two days before training camp opens without a captain on the ice, saying the search continues for a new GM.
The team announced last week that Dylan Larkin, who has asked to be traded, is expected to be at Detroit’s training camp after being stripped of the captaincy.
Yzerman abruptly stepped down in mid-July, and the Red Wings said any decisions about Larkin’s future would be made by the next person in charge of hockey operations.
It’s unclear if that will be Horcoff’s call.
The 47-year-old Horcoff has been Detroit’s assistant general manager since 2022. He previously worked for the team as its director of player development and assistant director of player personnel. Horcoff, a former Michigan State star, had 511 career points in 1,008 NHL games with Edmonton, Dallas and Anaheim.
“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,” Ilitch said. “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.
“Our search has attracted significant interest in the head of hockey operations position from respected leaders across the industry, and several of those candidates, including Shawn, remain under consideration for the permanent role.”
The Red Wings have not been in the playoffs in a decade and seven of those seasons were with Yzerman leading the franchise he starred for as a Hall of Fame player.
“A thorough evaluation of our hockey operations following this past season’s disappointing finish led to discussions with Steve Yzerman and a determination that a change was necessary,” Ilitch said.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/nhl
Larry Lage, The Associated Press
