The Detroit Red Wings have made Shawn Horcoff the interim GM of the franchise while it continues its search for a new permanent leader of its hockey operations department.
According to the team release, Horcoff will assume “day-to-day roster decisions, salary cap, and hockey operations personnel for the Red Wings” for as long as they wait for their long-term, permanent hire. Horcoff will retain his duties as GM of the team’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, and will report to Red Wings Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch during this interim period.
Ilitch issued a statement on the decision as part of the team’s release:
As our process continues to find the best possible leader for Red Wings hockey operations, I’m appreciative of Shawn for stepping up to serve in this capacity. His knowledge of our organization and range of experience allows us to operate with a clear decision-maker in place for the season ahead, while maintaining our commitment to carry out a thorough, methodical search process on our own timeline.
Shawn has my complete support, and the authority to make decisions in the best interests of our organization.
Our search has attracted significant interest in the head of hockey operations position from respected leaders across the industry, and several of those candidates, including Shawn, remain under consideration for the permanent role. Identifying and hiring the right leader is essential to our franchise’s future, and we remain committed to being deliberate and thorough in this process.
We’re grateful for our players, staff, and fans for their support as we work toward this pivotal hire.
The move to elevate Horcoff on a temporary basis is not the only title change included in this announcement. Former GM Steve Yzerman will also “officially transition to the role of Senior Advisor to the Governor and CEO.” While one should be cautioned to not put too much stock into official titles, it is worth noting that Yzerman’s role officially names him as an advisor to Ilitch, rather than to the hockey operations department itself.