This Detroit Red Wings podcast digs into the GM & President of Hockey Operations search, from the outside firm running it to the candidates in play for Yzerman’s seat. Hockeytown news & analysis also covers organizational paths, NHL expansion buzz, and more.
(00:00) – Intro & Announcements
WWP Night at the LCA dates announced! Get your tickets for the Nov. 21st game here: wingedwheelpodcast.com/redwings
(04:30) – GM Search: Outside Firm
Chris Ilitch turns to an external search firm to find Steve Yzerman’s replacement – why that signals a real front-office shakeup rather than an internal anointment, and what it means for Sean Horcoff’s chances.
(13:20) – Autonomy and Making Detroit a Destination
Full hockey ops autonomy, vast resources, and the destination question. Can Detroit be a desired location for players again?
(28:10) – GM Candidates and Pro Scouting Fixes
Jeff Greenberg, Sam Ventura, Tyler Dellow, and the Tigers connection, plus why pro scouting might be the single most important department to overhaul. The Moneyball problem: right player archetype, wrong players.
(46:15) – Around the NHL: Expansion & Quinn Hughes
Houston looks like a layup, Atlanta is a bigger question, and Quinn Hughes remains unsigned – tinfoil hat theories included.
(56:05) – Overtime: Patron Questions
Option A or Option B for the next GM, Axel Sandin Pellikka’s development, which prospects need to pop, and whether the March curse finally dies.
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Max Bultman’s Article: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7479170/2026/07/30/red-wings-gm-steve-yzerman-candidates-search/
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First
No improvements, camp continues creeping closer
What a waste of an off season. This blows.
Honestly, the most important thing for me right now is getting the Larkin trade right. With the recent celebrini and Carlsson signings, Larkins contract value just continues to rise. Hold out on him until you get the haul
TRADE LARKIN FOR PICKS AND MOVE ON ALREADY
Hiring external firms for executive searches in the corporate world is pretty standard.
The Leafs just used a firm to help in their GM search.
All they do is deliver names of candidates to the team, who’s attributes fit what the team is looking for. They don’t hire the GM. They have a database of candidates for NHL management jobs. So for example, they’ll be able to tell Illitch that Martin Madden is the brains behind Anaheim’s success in the draft. Or that Marty Lapointe has had a ton to do with Montreal’s player development, and both their amateur and pro personnel decisions. They’ll also be able to tell Illitch what Scott White has actually accomplished, other than being Nill’s “yes man.”
The firm is basically a headhunter. The Wings aren’t contractually obligated to use their provided candidates either. So Draper or Horcoff have nothing to do with what tbe firm is doing.
"Bored Larkin" 😂
I keep hearing people say Stevie was “technically promoted, although he was essentially fired” or something to that effect. I’ve never considered the job of being an advisor to the owner to be one that is above the GM, or even in the organizational chart of hierarchy. It’s always been owner-president-GM. Or Owner-GM.
If Stevie were moved to be Team President, then that claim would make some sense. (not sure adding “hockey operations” after team president makes a difference. I know there’s a job in other organizations “VP of hockey operations”.
It wasn’t a lack of “analytics minds” that made Stevie sign 2 career bottom 6 centers, coming off outlier career yrs in pts, to be the team’s 2C, to long term contracts. That was simply a massive failure in player evaluation and Stevie (presumably with the pro scouts) not only made that mistake but repeated it exactly 1 yr later with an almost identical player. Neither player was ever close to a legit 2C and they both had plenty of experience proving that. Smart hockey minds called that out in real time.
The foundation of every successful team is having 2 legit top 6C. They are the spine of the team. You can have as many elite skilled wingers as you want, but they simply aren’t as important as the center. Larkin has had to carry the weight of being the only top 6C on his team for almost a decade. Fans/media that have criticized his stats, don’t understand the game. I’ll bet my next paycheck that if Larkin goes to a team with another one of him, a legit top 6C, he’s going to have a career yr.