When the Detroit Red Wings named Shawn Horcoff as interim GM, the most immediate reaction was: Why did it take so long?
The initial thought was that the organization would name Horcoff temporarily while it conducted its purported vast and thorough hiring process.
The public-facing narrative was that the Red Wings were turning over every stone to find the right person. But it ended up landing on Horcoff weeks later. Well, recent reports have shed light on the situation.
And it proved that Horcoff never really had a chance.
Reports surfaced this week that the Red Wings were set on pinching Jeff Greenberg away from the Detroit Tigers over to the Red Wings. But there was one situation that prompted Greenberg to withdraw his name from consideration: Greenberg believed that he would have little, if any, autonomy to get anything done.
Based on all the reports that have come out about Chris Ilitch, my guess is Yzerman had been handcuffed the whole time. Maybe he had a deal he was going to take for Larkin and Chris said no so he quit. I firmly believe Steve stepped down because he couldnt make decisions.#LGRW
— The Grind Line Podcast™ (@GrindLinePod) October 8, 2026
Now, let’s stop here for a minute. It’s one thing to run things up the totem pole, particularly when they’re major deals like trading your captain away. But there’s a limit to which every move has to run through ownership.
No one is going to say yes unless they get full control. And they should get it, because it's their job. You want to own every move? Make yourself the head of hockey ops and own every mistake you make. It's beyond tiring that Chris thinks he the smartest person in the room.#LGRW https://t.co/GPebs0JBN1
— The Grind Line Podcast™ (@GrindLinePod) October 8, 2026
That’s what Greenberg wasn’t too keen on.
That situation ultimately left the Red Wings with little choice but to go with Horcoff, at least for now.
Red Wings will likely keep “interim” tag on Horcoff for a while
You would have to think that, based on everything that we’ve seen trickle out of Detroit, Horcoff wasn’t close to being the Red Wings’ first choice. The chatter has made it clear that the organization had other candidates ahead of Horcoff.
But there was something in the interview process that likely caused other would-be GM candidates to back off.
Horcoff was never going to be the guy so long as someone else on the list was willing to take the job.
Alas, that never happened. None of the candidates moved forward, and, well, the situation left the Wings with little choice but to give Horcoff a token promotion. The only question now is: Is Horcoff a lame duck? Does Detroit’s unofficial GM actually have any say in the decision-making process?
Or we talking about a figurehead that’s just running the plays coming from the higher-ups?
Based on how Dylan Larkin has returned to the ice for the Wings after an entire summer of drama, it’s evident that Horcoff is just a placeholder until the Red Wings hire a yes-man for the role.
One last reflection: The situation makes you wonder if Steve Yzerman was handcuffed during this time in Detroit. Perhaps he was at loggerheads with ownership about the moves he wanted to make. And it was that position that limited Yzerman’s power.
Perhaps that’s the explanation for why the former Stanley Cup champ couldn’t replicate the success he had in Tampa Bay.
That discussion, as fascinating as it is, is best left for another day.
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