It took two and a half months for the Detroit Red Wings to announce that Shawn Horcoff will serve as the team's interim general manager.
What's especially odd about this statement is that the Red Wings already announced Horcoff as interim GM back in July.
“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,” Chris Ilitch said in his statement. “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."
In other words: the Red Wings still don't have a GM and likely won't have one anytime soon.
Another frustrating statement by the Red Wings
The worst thing about this statement is that it doesn't offer any clarity whatsoever.
"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."
There's no suggestion on timeline or expectations this season. Will Horcoff serve as GM for the full season? Is this an audition?
"We're focused on identifying an innovative decision maker who can lead the Red Wings to Stanley Cup success," the statement continues. "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 is far and beyond the most frustrating thing the organization could do. Why try to formalize an announcement that was already made over two months ago? There's no benefit to this other than to signal that the organization as it stands is completely directionless.
Was this a desperate ploy to bring back the goodwill of fans, or was this a way to save face from the most frustrating offseason in recent memory?
More importantly, how much autonomy does Horcoff have right now? Can he sign Edvinsson to an extension? Can he trade Dylan Larkin?
There are just too many questions and not enough answers.
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