The next general manager in Detroit isn’t walking into a clean slate. The Red Wings have a pile of urgent business lined up, and the biggest item sitting at the top is Dylan Larkin.
Before anything else can really move, the new GM will have to get a handle on why the captain wants out and whether there’s any way to fix the relationship. That means sitting down with Larkin, his representatives, and other relevant members of the organization.
If Larkin is set on leaving, then Detroit has to figure out what kind of return actually helps the club now and later. If there’s still a chance he stays, the question becomes whether that fits the team’s competitive timeline.
Either way, this can’t drag into the season.
There’s no time to stop there, either. Simon Edvinsson needs a new contract before he can join training camp or appear in preseason or regular-season games, and the front office staff already in place should be able to brief the incoming GM on where things stand. The trick is finding the right deal: enough to reward Edvinsson’s development, but not so much that it squeezes the cap space Detroit needs to keep building.
Alex DeBrincat’s future is another conversation that needs to happen early, even if his current deal is not expiring right away. The new GM should meet with DeBrincat and his representatives to get a read on what the next contract would cost.
If the number is manageable, an extension could become a priority. If it’s too rich for Detroit’s taste, the organization needs that information sooner rather than later.
DeBrincat has expressed interest in staying, so this isn’t a cold start.
Once those three situations are clearer, the roster picture gets easier to sort through. Detroit’s defense and goaltending appear settled, but the forward group still needs to be examined closely.
Does the team have enough offense to compete? And how does Larkin’s trade request affect the bigger roster plan?
Some of that thinking should already be part of the interview process, so this phase is more about execution than starting from scratch.
The new GM also has to spend time getting to know the people already in the building. That means stay interviews with Kris Draper, Shawn Horcoff, Todd McLellan, and others on staff.
The point is to learn what they do well, where the weak spots are, and what extra context they can add now that the organization has a chance to improve. It’s a relationship-building step, but it’s also part of the audit.
All of this should feed into one larger message: what exactly is Detroit trying to be? The answer has to reach everyone, from Chris Ilitch down to the players.
Is the goal to win right now? Is the organization willing to give up some short-term results for a stronger team in two or three years?
How aggressive should the GM be with prospects, draft picks, and long-term contracts? That vision matters because it shapes every other decision.
From there, the long-term work begins in earnest. The hockey operations department needs to be modernized, and that means building a front office that can blend traditional scouting with analytics, sports science, player development, and modern technology. Responsibilities have to be defined more clearly, collaboration has to improve, and the organization needs to know whether it has enough expertise in data analysis, contract valuation, cap management, and decision support.
That overhaul won’t happen overnight. Staff will need to be hired, others let go, and vendor contracts signed before the real work fully starts.
But the new GM doesn’t have to do everything one by one. The Larkin situation can be investigated while Edvinsson’s deal gets worked on.
Stay interviews can happen while the roster is being evaluated. Front office upgrades can be identified before the department is completely reshaped.
The point is to create direction, not chaos. If Detroit can solve the immediate issues and build a more modern hockey operations structure at the same time, the next GM won’t just be keeping the seat warm. They’ll be setting the Red Wings on a better path.
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