Steve Yzerman is stepping aside, Todd McLellan is preparing for camp, and the Detroit Red Wings still haven't named their next general manager.
The Red Wings have finally made a hire, but it isn't the announcement frustrated fans have been waiting to see.
Owner Christopher Ilitch has brought in a search firm to help identify Yzerman's replacement, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
The decision suggests Detroit's search remains in its early stages. Training camp begins September 17, while the regular-season opener arrives October 2.
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Assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff is handling the hockey department's daily operations during the transition. His reported authority doesn't include completing trades.
That restriction matters with major roster questions still sitting on Detroit's desk, including Simon Edvinsson's next contract and a possible extension for Alex DeBrincat.
The biggest issue remains Dylan Larkin. Detroit's captain reportedly requested a trade after the season ended in April and hasn't backed away from that position.
Detroit's search could reshape the front office
The Red Wings are the NHL's only team currently searching for a general manager, giving Ilitch room to conduct a wide-ranging process without competing against another vacancy.
Detroit is reportedly interested in an analytics-driven executive, following a path similar to the one used by the Ilitch family when Scott Harris joined the Detroit Tigers in 2022.
Analytics have previously served an advisory role inside the Red Wings' hockey operations department. The next hire could move data much closer to the centre of every roster decision.
Detroit may also consider adding a president of hockey operations above the general manager. That structure would represent a major shift after Yzerman controlled the hockey department since April 2019.
Sam Ventura of the Buffalo Sabres and Tyler Dellow of the Carolina Hurricanes have surfaced as speculative candidates. Yzerman is also expected to provide input during the hiring process.
The new executive will inherit a team facing a 10-year playoff drought, an unsettled captain and several pressing contract decisions. Detroit hired help to run the search, but the organization's biggest chair remains empty.
Are the Red Wings making a mistake by extending their general manager search this close to training camp?
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