The Detroit Red Wings are in a devastating freefall, and the “Yzerplan” is facing its harshest criticism yet. Expected to confidently secure a playoff spot this season, the team has collapsed in a fashion eerily similar to last year. Now, the unthinkable is being discussed: Could Steve Yzerman be stepping down as General Manager?
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the frustration in Detroit has reached a boiling point. Speaking on NHL Network Radio, Friedman dropped a massive theory regarding Yzerman’s future, suggesting the Hall of Famer might relinquish the GM chair while retaining his title as President of Hockey Operations. This would pave the way for a new voice, potentially Kris Draper or Shawn Horcoff to take over day-to-day roster construction. After a deeply underwhelming 2025 trade deadline that drew the ire of captain Dylan Larkin, the walls are closing in. If the Red Wings miss the postseason again, the front office in Hockeytown is almost guaranteed to look drastically different next year. Here is why the era of Yzerman operating as a solo architect might be over.
Why the Detroit Red Wings’ Freefall Could Force Front Office Changes
If you’ve been watching this team since the Olympic Break, you know exactly why the panic button is being smashed. The Red Wings have scored more than three goals in a game only three times in their last 16 contests. The offense has entirely dried up, exposing a glaring lack of forward depth that management utterly failed to address.
When Yzerman took over as Executive VP and GM in 2019 after a masterful run in Tampa Bay, the expectation was that his Midas touch would seamlessly translate to his beloved Detroit Red Wings. But building a contender takes more than patience; it takes proactive roster management. At the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Red Wings desperately needed an injection of offensive talent. Instead, Yzerman’s lone move was acquiring defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues. While Faulk is a reliable veteran, it was a band-aid on a bullet hole. It prompted uncharacteristic, public frustration Red Wing fans.
As an NHL analyst, my read on this situation is that the dual role of President and GM is simply becoming too overwhelming in the modern, cap-strapped NHL. Yzerman is highly respected, but Friedman’s theory makes perfect sense. Yzerman is “hugely frustrated,” and delegating the GM duties would allow him to oversee the macro vision of the franchise while letting a hungry, modern executive handle the micro-level grinding of trades and cap gymnastics.
Potential Replacements: Kris Draper or Shawn Horcoff?
If Yzerman kicks himself upstairs entirely, the obvious internal candidates are current assistant GMs Kris Draper and Shawn Horcoff. Draper, the current director of amateur scouting, knows the Detroit Red Wings’ culture intimately. Passing the torch to a fellow Grind Line legend would inject a different perspective into trade negotiations while allowing Yzerman to retain ultimate veto power.
Something has to give. The Red Wings haven’t tasted playoff hockey in a decade, and another late-season collapse proves that standing pat is no longer an option.
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