Finally, the Detroit Red Wings have made a move that looks like something more than standing still.
According to Red Wings and Dallas Stars insider Sean Shapiro, Mark Leach is returning to Detroit after previously working as an amateur scout for the Red Wings and the Stars. Leach also had a brief run as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Director of Amateur Scouting before departing the organization with General Manager Brad Treliving.
His arrival lines up with another shift in the front office: Assistant General Manager Kris Draper will now handle pro scouting for the Red Wings. Leach is set to work alongside Head of Amateur Scouting Jesse Wallin, though his exact title has not been spelled out. The best read on it right now is that he’ll be in the mix as either an amateur scout or an advisor of some kind.
For interim general manager Shawn Horcoff, this is one of the first real changes on the board. Dan Clearly’s promotion to general manager of the Grand Rapids Griffins and Draper’s move into scouting are the other notable moves in Horcoff’s short time running things in Detroit.
Leach is hardly new to the organization. He spent 1996-2013 as an amateur scout with the Red Wings, helping identify young talent during the stretch that included four Stanley Cup titles. After that, he moved to Dallas, where he worked as an amateur scout alongside Jim Nill.
That Dallas stretch matters. Since Nill took over, the Stars have built a reputation as one of the league’s sharper drafting teams. Leach was part of the scouting group that helped bring in players such as Nick Paul, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven.
It’s impossible to assign every one of those picks to Leach alone, but sticking around through that kind of run says plenty. He was clearly part of a system that kept finding talent.
Leach’s most recent stop was Toronto, where he served as Director of Amateur Scouting. The stint was brief, though, because current GM John Chayka cleared house early in his tenure. Since Leach only had two drafts there, his work in Toronto may not fully show up for a few years.
Still, Red Wings fans can at least take one thing from this: they’re getting the scout who brought Gavin McKenna to Toronto. Yes, it was obvious, but it’s still funny to say.
More than anything, the move suggests Detroit is willing to look beyond its own walls for help. That’s a notable shift for a team that has moved slowly on even basic business, like getting Simon Edvinsson signed. Until the Red Wings land a real general manager, that pace is probably not changing.
And the fan base has noticed. At this point, some supporters are even hiring witches to try to lift the curse on the franchise. That usually says enough on its own.
In Other News...
Red Wings Make Two Changes As Pressure Builds Early
The Red Wings are heading into their home game against Ottawa still searching for that first win, with Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper expected back in the lineup after the team has already been tinkering with its forward combinations. Alex DeBrincat has been part of those recent line changes, a sign that coach Derek Lalonde is trying to find a spark early before the seasons frustration starts to snowball.
Off the ice, Detroit has also been reshaping the front office in ways that could matter down the road. Kris Draper is stepping into the director of pro scouting job, while Jesse Wallin is set to lead amateur scouting, and the club added Mark Leach from the Maple Leafs to the scouting staff. It is a reminder that while the immediate pressure is about ending the skid, the Red Wings are also making changes with an eye on how the organization evaluates and builds its roster moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face A Real Simon Edvinsson Contract Standoff
Simon Edvinssons next contract has become one of the more interesting early tests for Detroits front office, and the gap is real enough to keep the conversation moving. The Red Wings have been working from a long-term framework with one of their most important young defensemen, but the two sides have not landed on the same number, which is exactly the kind of wrinkle that can complicate a deal even when both sides still have time to sort it out.
Edvinssons camp is believed to be pushing for a richer, longer commitment, while the Red Wings are trying to balance upside, age and cap planning as they build around their core. The talks are still open, but the fact that other clubs have taken notice only adds to the pressure, and this one feels like it could linger until Detroit decides how far it is willing to go to lock in a player it clearly values. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face A Tempting Laine Decision Before Someone Else Does
Patrik Laine is still sitting on the free-agent market as the season draws closer, and the lingering question for Detroit is whether he becomes a real option or just another name the Red Wings spent time kicking around internally. Teams such as Calgary and Detroit have had some discussions about him, but the market has not moved much, and his preference for certain locations appears to be part of why interest has not turned into something more concrete.
For the Red Wings, the appeal is obvious enough: Laine is the kind of high-end talent who can change a lineup if the fit is right. The wrinkle is that the next step may come down to how much risk a team is willing to take and whether Laine is open to a performance-based contract structure, which would give clubs more protection while leaving his destination very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]