The Detroit Red Wings are taking their time with the biggest decision in the front office, and the candidate pool keeps getting bigger. Detroit is looking at both internal and external options to replace Steve Yzerman, with Kris Draper and Shawn Horcoff among the names from inside the organization. Outside the building, the list includes Tom Fitzgerald, Marc Bergevin, Kevyn Adams, Tyler Dellow, Evan Gold, Ryan Martin, and Scott White.
One name that stands out is Brendan Shanahan. He remains a legend in Detroit, and reports say he would still like to stay involved in the game as an executive.
That possibility would bring a whole different kind of conversation to the Red Wings’ search. Would the organization move from the Yzer-plan to the Shana-plan?
It would be a polarizing call, especially considering how things played out in Toronto.
Anthony Mantha’s move to the New Jersey Devils came down to more than just the contract. He said a 30-minute Zoom call with GM Sunny Mehta made a real impression, and he pointed out that not every general manager takes that kind of personal interest. Mehta’s trust in Mantha’s advanced metrics also played a part in getting the deal done.
Mantha said he came into the year wanting to finish it as one of the NHL’s most talked-about players, and he believes he got himself “mildly in the conversation.” He also credited work with a mental coach for helping him put together a career-best season. On top of that, the multi-year contract mattered because he has young kids.
In Toronto, the Maple Leafs don’t seem eager to force a Morgan Rielly trade. The sense is that unless he broadens his list of preferred destinations, he’s likely to stay put heading into the season. Toronto also doesn’t appear to be in a spot where it can move him without a clear replacement waiting.
Rielly still logs major minutes on the blue line, and the Leafs would create a hole by dealing him for futures or cap room alone. Finding someone who can step in and handle 17-18 minutes a night is not simple, and with so many defensemen already signed, the market isn’t exactly overflowing with options. Some fans may want a shake-up, but the organization is not about to move on from Rielly unless it has a way to fill that spot.
And then there’s the Connor McDavid chatter, which is the kind of rumor that always grabs attention. Former NHLer Todd Fedoruk said he has heard the Philadelphia Flyers could be a preferred destination for McDavid. Philadelphia has a young core on the rise, cap space, and draft capital, and the Flyers have already shown they’re willing to be aggressive with offer sheets.
Fedoruk put it this way:
“He is going to be a player who will be calling teams. His agent is going to be looking for him to go places. There are rumors that Philadelphia is a place that Connor McDavid wants to go.”
That said, any idea that McDavid or his camp is reaching out to teams would bring tampering questions while he’s still under contract. The Oilers captain is entering the first year of a short-term extension and is coming off yet another dominant season.
At this point, there’s no sign he’s leaving Edmonton. But if the Oilers come up short again, the noise around his future is only going to get louder, and the Flyers could be right there among the teams ready to make a serious push.
In Other News...
Red Wings May Have A Familiar Answer For This Crucial Front Office Job
The Red Wings search for a new Director of Hockey Operations has naturally turned into a familiar kind of conversation around the organization: who knows the franchise, who can help shape the next phase, and who has the front-office chops to handle a job that matters more than it might sound at first glance. Among the names circulating, Ryan Martin stands out as someone with real Detroit roots and a long track record in hockey operations, which gives the discussion a different feel than the usual round of outside candidates.
Martins appeal comes from more than just familiarity. He spent 16 years in Detroits front office and built a reputation around contract work and talent evaluation, the sort of background that can translate well in an interview room if the club wants a modern voice who already understands the pressure points of the job. Brendan Shanahan, Shawn Horcoff and Kris Draper are also part of the broader fan conversation, but the Red Wings next move will say plenty about whether they want a fresh perspective, a trusted name, or some blend of both. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Fans May Never Stop Debating This Yzerman Draft Move
Steve Yzerman has never shied away from a bold draft night move, and the 2021 NHL Draft gave Red Wings fans one of the clearest examples yet. Detroit traded up to take Sebastian Cossa with the 15th overall pick, betting on the towering goalie after a standout season in Edmonton and making him the centerpiece of a decision that immediately became part of the organizations long-running draft debate.
The cost of that move still lingers in the background, because Detroit sent the 23rd, 48th and 138th picks to Dallas to climb the board. For a franchise still trying to sort out its future in net, the gamble was always going to be judged over time, and it remains one of those Yzerman calls that Red Wings followers will keep revisiting every draft season until the picture gets a little clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Cup History Is Suddenly Back In A Strange Spotlight
A strange little piece of Red Wings history has been pulled back into the spotlight after Carolina used all 55 name slots on the Stanley Cup, matching the maximum Detroit reached in 1997-98. That old Red Wings engraving now matters again because it is the last time a team filled the Cup to capacity, a reminder that the trophys surface can become a snapshot not just of champions, but of how a franchise chooses to define its season and its people.
For Detroit fans, the comparison is especially notable because that 1997 engraving included nine members of the Ilitch family, showing the organization was willing to use the full allotment for owners and executives as well as players and hockey staff. The current debate around Carolina has only sharpened attention on the NHLs formal rules for Cup engravings, which spell out who qualifies and how exceptions are handled when a name does not fit the standard criteria. [Read more 🡒]