The Detroit Red Wings’ general manager search has already produced one awkward wrinkle, and it doesn’t sound like the process is moving cleanly.
On today’s episode of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Red Wings asked other teams for permission to speak with potential GM candidates, got that permission, and then never followed through with interviews. Friedman didn’t mention any new names in the search, but he did flag the way Detroit handled that part of the process as another unforced misstep for an organization that has had a few too many of them lately.
There is a possible explanation. Teams often widen the circle when they’re hunting for a new general manager, and it’s possible Detroit requested permission from one club only for that team to take too long to respond.
In that scenario, the Red Wings may have pivoted to another target before ever setting anything up. Even so, the expectation is that a club would at least let the other side know it had moved on and was withdrawing the request.
Friedman also had an update on Chris Kreider, who was placed on waivers for contract termination by the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday afternoon. It’s already been established that Kreider wants to get back to the Eastern Conference, and Friedman said the Boston Bruins are his preferred destination. He added that if Kreider is claimed by a team he doesn’t want to join, he would sit out the final year of his contract unless he is traded to a situation he finds more favorable.
There was also another Red Wings note tied to Simon Edvinsson. Friedman said that earlier this season, while Steve Yzerman was leading the hockey operations side, Detroit put forward a short-term offer to the restricted free agent defenseman. Whatever happened behind the scenes, nothing came of it, or the offer was pulled once Yzerman was promoted.
For now, Edvinsson’s contract situation is still waiting on the GM hire. According to the report, talks are on hold until Detroit fills the job. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun recently added that Edvinsson is expected to attend training camp, even if he still does not have a contract by then.
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