Dylan Larkin and Todd McLellan now sit at the center of a Red Wings transition as Detroit brings in outside help to find its next hockey boss.
Detroit has hired an outside search firm to dig deeper into candidates for the organization's next hockey operations leader, according to the report.
Owner Chris Ilitch is directing the process, while assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff is handling day-to-day responsibilities during the search.
There is one major restriction on Horcoff's temporary role: he reportedly doesn't have authority to make trades. That matters with Detroit's biggest roster question still sitting unresolved.
Larkin requested a trade after the season, making the captain's future an immediate issue for whoever eventually takes control of hockey operations.
The Red Wings are also said to be targeting an analytics-driven executive, which would signal a meaningful change in how Detroit approaches personnel decisions at the top.
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Detroit's GM search takes major turn with Dylan Larkin waiting
Detroit has used analytics within its hockey department, but the report says that work has operated more in an advisory role than as the driving force behind final decisions.
Moving toward an analytics-led structure would reshape more than draft meetings. It could influence trades, contracts, roster construction and how McLellan's lineup is built around the club's core.
" Elliotte Friedman: Re Red Wings management search: I do believe you're gonna see their initial beginning interview process begin probably next week - NHL Tonight (8/7) "
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The timing makes the search especially sensitive. Detroit can't leave major personnel decisions frozen indefinitely with another season approaching and Larkin's situation hanging over the organization.
Horcoff can keep the daily operation moving, but the inability to execute trades means the biggest call may have to wait for a permanent decision-maker.
That puts pressure on Ilitch and the search firm to find more than a familiar hockey name. Detroit is looking for someone capable of changing the management approach while immediately handling a complicated captain situation.
Steve Yzerman remains listed as Detroit's general manager, while Todd McLellan remains the head coach. The reported search creates obvious uncertainty around how the front office will ultimately be structured.
And Larkin makes that uncertainty impossible to separate from the roster. Detroit's next hockey boss may walk through the door with one decision already waiting: keep the captain, move him, or find a return that keeps the Red Wings moving forward.
Source : Red Wings Take Big Step In GM Search
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