Steve Yzerman’s run as Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager is over.
On Wednesday, the Red Wings announced that Yzerman is stepping down from the role and will stay with the organization as a senior advisor to CEO and team governor Chris Ilitch.
“I am sincerely grateful to Chris and the entire Ilitch family,” Yzerman said in a release. “This organization has given me incredible opportunities, from my time as a player to the privilege of returning as General Manager. I’ve appreciated every experience throughout the years, and I’m extremely proud to remain part of this great franchise.”
Detroit brought Yzerman back in the summer of 2019 after he spent the previous nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The hope was obvious: take the blueprint he helped build in Tampa and turn the Red Wings into a steady contender again.
That never happened. The “Yzerplan” ran into plenty of trouble, and Detroit has missed the playoffs in all seven seasons since he took over.
There’s no single reason the Red Wings fell short, and the source of the frustration has been part of the conversation for a while. What is clear is that the organization never got over the hump under Yzerman’s watch, even with his status as one of the most important figures in franchise history.
As a player, Yzerman spent all 22 of his NHL seasons in Detroit and wore the captain’s “C” while helping the Red Wings win Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, and 2002. In 1,514 regular-season games, he scored 692 goals, which ranks second to Gordie Howe, and added a franchise-record 1,062 assists.
But as a manager, the pressure had clearly built. A lot of Red Wings fans wanted a change this offseason, and now they’ve gotten it.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, one of the bigger names still sitting in NHL free agency finally found a landing spot.
The New Jersey Devils signed Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract with an annual average value of $4.75 million.
Mantha, 31, spent last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins on a one-year deal and used it to get his game back on track. After injuries held him to just three goals in 2023-24 and four in 2024-25, he broke out with 33 goals and 31 assists for 64 points in 81 games with Pittsburgh this past season.
The Devils are now entering Sunny Mehta’s first offseason as general manager, and their forward group has taken on a new look.
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