The Detroit Red Wings have announced that Shawn Horcoff has officially been named the team’s interim general manager.
The Red Wings parted ways with former GM Steve Yzerman in July, and now, two months later, Horcoff — who was the assistant Red Wings GM and the GM of the Grand Rapids Griffins — has been named the team’s interim GM.
Shawn Horcoff Named Red Wings Interim GM
Red Wings governor and CEO Chris Illitch released a statement explaining why he chose to go with Horcoff as the interim GM for the Red Wings.
“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. 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,” Illitch said in a statement posted on the team’s official website.
“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 also announced that Yzerman will transition to the role of Senior Advisor to the Governor and CEO.
Red Wings Continue to Search for Full-Time GM
Although the Red Wings have appointed Horcoff as the interim GM for now, Illitch said that the search will continue to find a long-term solution for the team’s full-time GM role.
“We’re focused on identifying an innovative decision maker who can lead the Red Wings to Stanley Cup success. 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,” Illitch said.
As for Horcoff, Illitch had nothing but good things to say about his interim GM, and he confirmed that Horcoff is in contention for the full-time job.
“Shawn Horcoff has been instrumental to our organization, allowing us to maintain our high standards while conducting a thorough search rather than working against a deadline. His deep knowledge of our players, contracts, and organization positioned him to lead us during this period. Moving forward, he will oversee our hockey operations with full authority and our complete confidence, consistent with how we’ve empowered every leader in this role. He’s already deeply engaged in the important work ahead as camp begins, having been part of every conversation over the past months. He continues forward with full knowledge of our direction and the decisions already in motion—and remains a candidate for the permanent role,” Illitch said.
Red Wings Name Shawn Horcoff Interim General Manager