Nearly two weeks ago, the Detroit Red Wings promoted Interim General Manager Shawn Horcoff to a full-time role as Interim General Manager. The promotion was mostly a formality, as Horcoff had served the summer following Steve Yzerman's departure as the team's interim GM. This was meant to showcase to the hockey world that Horcoff supposedly has full autonomy.
The top priority from that point on should have been an extension for number two defenseman Simon Edvinsson.
In the 12 days since Horcoff's announcement, nothing has happened.
We are five days away from puck drop on opening night. Edvinsson has shown up to camp and done his due diligence all offseason to ensure he's ready for the first game of the season. The Red Wings, on the other hand, have done nothing to return that goodwill.
This whole fiasco is an indictment on the organization.
Edvinsson should have been signed months ago
Waiting this long to sign Edvinsson has had two repercussions. First, it's forced the team to work without one of their best players. Last night's preseason bout against the Columbus Blue Jackets showed just why Edvinsson should have been on the roster by now. Defensive lapses and boneheaded plays cost the Red Wings so many chances that could've easily turned the game into a blowout.
The second - and more concerning issue - has to do with salary. At the start of the offseason, it looked like Edvinsson would sign anywhere from the $7-9 million range. Now, with the extensions of players like Zeev Buium, Edvinsson's salary looks like it'll land somewhere closer to $10 million. This isn't an issue right now, given the Red Wings' bevvy of cap space, but it could easily come back to bite them down the line.
Worse yet, it sounds like the Red Wings would prefer to bridge Edvinsson. This would be the single most shortsighted move they could do with a 23-year-old defenseman with the potential Edvinsson has. WIth the salary cap set to rise over the next few seasons, a $9M, three-year bridge could easily balloon into a $13-14 million contract down the line. That would only further hamstring whoever takes on the full time GM role in the future and could spell an even bigger disaster if this contract fiasco drags out any longer.
Had this business been taken care of months ago, the Red Wings wouldn't be in this scenario.
Unfortunately, it just doesn't seem like it's being handled competently right now.
Red Wings teetering on roster malpractice
The longer this needless situation drags out, the worse it looks for Horcoff and the Red Wings. What is the benefit of nickel and diming your number two defensemen? How will that reflect on the organization when he or any other other young core are due for a deal?
In his interview with Bob Wojonowski of The Detroit News, Red Wings CEO and owner Chris Ilitch balked at the idea of the Red Wings appearing incompetent during the offseason. "I think a lot of it is just talking heads," Ilitch said. "To be frank, inside the organization, things are operating perfectly well. It’s a bit of amusement to hear and look at some of that stuff."
Are things truly operating well when the second best defenseman on the team still isn't signed and the team still doesn't have a full-time GM? Does that scream competent to anyone watching?
At least Ilitch thinks it's amusing.
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