Overview
- Shawn Horcoff was formally named interim general manager on Sept. 15 and will report to governor and CEO Chris Ilitch with day-to-day authority over roster decisions, salary-cap matters and hockey-operations personnel.
- Steve Yzerman has been moved out of the GM role into a senior-advisor position for the governor and CEO, leaving ownership to continue a broad search for a long-term hockey operations leader.
- Horcoff has already opened contract negotiations for restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson, with agent J.P. Barry confirming the two sides 'spoke' and talks are underway.
- Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade this offseason and was stripped of the captaincy, remains with the team but will not skate at the start of training camp because of an upper-body injury, the interim GM said.
- The decision addresses urgent calendar pressure after a prolonged search that left key roster and contract matters paused and increases expectations that Horcoff must resolve Edvinsson’s deal, Larkin’s future and other cap issues before the season begins.