Detroit Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff is still operating with a leash, even after repeated public insistence that he has the freedom to do the job.
That’s the frustration hanging over Detroit’s front office right now: Horcoff may hold the title, but the real power still appears to sit with ownership and Chris Ilitch. Frank Seravalli said on Frankly Hockey on October 6, “Re Red Wings: Everything's done with such significant oversight from ownership on offers, on trades, on anything, there's no unilateral permission for Shawn Horcoff to really do anything right now, he's doing this with training wheels on - Frankly Hockey (10/6)”
That kind of arrangement leaves fans wondering what the point is if the person in charge can’t actually steer. Jeff Marek added another layer on October 7, reporting that Jeff Greenberg had been the preferred candidate in Detroit’s management search, but pulled out after not getting the autonomy he wanted.
Horcoff’s own background makes the situation even more interesting. He’s from Trail, British Columbia, but built a life in Michigan, wore the “C” in his final season with the Michigan State Spartans, and went on to a hockey career that included 50 games in Sweden during the NHL lockout. He also carved out a real track record in management.
His work with the Grand Rapids Griffins stands out. Before Horcoff took over as general manager, Detroit’s AHL affiliate was a mess across the board.
Coaching choices, player management, roster building - it was all over the place. There were prospects who flashed, sure, but the overall picture was a pile of mistakes and frustration.
Horcoff didn’t fix everything overnight. There were growing pains early on.
But over the last two seasons, he settled in and started making the right calls, including landing Dan Watson as coach and finding veteran talent that helped stabilize the group. Last season, the Griffins even broke records.
That matters because it helped create a pipeline where players could come up from Grand Rapids and fit into Detroit without much disruption. The coaching staff does its part, but Horcoff has clearly handled the managerial side well.
He’s also built his reputation on relationships, and that shows up in the way players talk about him. In his most recent media availability before his surprising return to Sweden, Simon Edvinsson mentioned talking to “Horc.” It’s a small detail, but one that says plenty about how Horcoff connects with players.
People around the game speak highly of him. Players and personnel alike have a good opinion of Horcoff, and until something changes, that has to count for something. His work with the Griffins and his ability to relate to younger players are part of why he stands apart.
That dynamic may matter even more in a tense situation like the one involving Edvinsson, who is said to be frustrated and angry and has surprised even teammates by returning to Sweden during contract talks. The piece of the puzzle here is simple: Horcoff may be better positioned than others to keep that situation from going off the rails.
The same idea applies to Dylan Larkin. If Detroit is going to find a way to repair things there, Horcoff looks like the best person to help make that happen.
Still, there’s a limit to what one man can do if the setup around him isn’t right. The ideal answer would be to give Horcoff some experienced support on NHL-level negotiations and trades - someone in more of an advisory role who doesn’t take away his authority.
The goal shouldn’t be to box him in. It should be to let him work.
And that’s the larger issue in Detroit. The Red Wings don’t need a yes man.
They need the right person to push the organization forward. Right now, the concern is that ownership is still getting in the way of that happening.
In Other News...
Red Wings Standings Chase Just Got Tougher In The Atlantic
The Atlantic race is getting a little tighter for Detroit to navigate, with Ottawa set to add some important bodies back into its lineup after a stretch of injury absences. Defensemen Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub are expected back within the next few days, and forward Andr Burakovsky is also nearing a return from an upper-body injury, giving the Senators a chance to steady themselves at a time when every point matters in the division.
Detroit, meanwhile, made a pair of its own roster moves by activating forwards Chase Stillman and Carter Bear from the injured list and sending both to Grand Rapids. For the Red Wings, those transactions are more about keeping the pipeline moving than altering the NHL picture right away, but they underscore how quickly the standings chase can shift when rivals start getting healthier and depth pieces are being sorted out on both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Already Have Another Goalie Worth Watching
Michal Postava is off to a strong start in Grand Rapids, and the early returns have already given the Red Wings organization something else to monitor in net. He stopped 36 shots in a 2-1 win over the Manitoba Moose, helping the Griffins keep rolling at home and improve to 2-0-1-0 on the season.
For a team always watching its goaltending pipeline, Postavas first two games have stood out even more because of how calm he has looked. The Griffins have won their last four home openers, and with Postava posting a 1.50 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage so far, there is at least a little more reason to pay attention every time he gets the crease. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Suddenly Get A Tougher Canadiens Matchup Tonight
The Canadiens are getting a significant boost on the blue line tonight, and it comes at a time when theyve already been trying to sharpen the edges of their roster. Kaiden Guhle is set to make his season debut after missing the first four games following offseason surgery on his adductor muscle, and Montreal plans to slot him next to Mike Matheson against the Red Wings.
To make room for Guhles return, Montreal recently moved Jayden Struble out of the picture in a trade with Nashville for a 2027 second-round pick. For Detroit, it means the matchup suddenly looks a little stiffer on a night when the Canadiens can roll out a more complete defense and lean on a player theyve been waiting to get back. [Read more 🡒]