While the search for the Detroit Red Wings’ next permanent head of hockey operations continues, the Red Wings have named Shawn Horcoff interim general manager, the team announced Tuesday.
Horcoff, who played 15 years in the NHL with Edmonton, Dallas and Anaheim, has been in the Red Wings’ front office since 2016, joining the organization as director of player development before being promoted to assistant general manager in 2022. Horcoff also served as GM of the team’s AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins during that time.
“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,” Red Wings governor and CEO Chris Ilitch said in a news release. “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.
“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. Identifying and hiring the right leader is essential to our franchise’s future, and we remain committed to being deliberate and thorough in this process. We’re grateful for our players, staff, and fans for their support as we work toward this pivotal hire.”
The Red Wings begin training camp on Thursday but have yet to settle on a permanent top executive after a search that began July 15, when Steve Yzerman was removed from his position as general manager and moved into a senior adviser role.
The move gives Horcoff latitude to handle day-to-day operations and complete the team’s most urgent piece of business: signing top-pair defenseman Simon Edvinsson to a new contract. Beyond that, though, the team’s No. 1 center, Dylan Larkin, requested a trade earlier this summer, and having an interim general manager at the helm could make the now-former captain’s request even more difficult to resolve before camp, or even the first games.
“We’re focused on identifying an innovative decision-maker who can lead the Red Wings to Stanley Cup success,” Illitch said in the news release. “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 caliber 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.”
This story will be updated.