The Detroit Red Wings’ long search for Steve Yzerman’s replacement finally got some concrete names this week, and believe me, it’s not what you’d expect. Elliotte Friedman spilled the tea on 32 Thoughts Tuesday, giving us the clearest look yet at who Detroit’s seriously eyeing for that top job. After over a month of “process” talk, the list includes some truly fascinating options, including guys from winning NHL organizations and, get this, even two folks currently working for the Detroit Tigers, right across the parking lot! Owner Chris Ilitch is clearly ready to look anywhere, and honestly, after seven playoff-less seasons under Yzerman, sticking to the same old hockey execs probably ain’t gonna cut it anyway.
Detroit’s Internal Options And What Ilitch Really Wants
Friedman’s report indicates the Red Wings kicked things off by talking to their own people. Assistant general managers Shawn Horcoff and Kris Draper were definitely in the mix, and that’s no shocker. When Yzerman left in July, everyone immediately pointed to Horcoff and Draper as the logical next men up. Horcoff has been running the Grand Rapids Griffins and neck-deep in Detroit’s development system, while Draper’s been a massive part of their amateur scouting. Promoting either one would mean continuity, right? But here’s the thing: after moving on from Yzerman precisely because the team hasn’t sniffed the playoffs in seven years, does Ilitch actually *want* continuity? If the whole point was a new direction, an outside hire is probably the only way to truly shake things up and get it.
The Outside Hires Are Seriously Interesting
This is where it gets spicy. Friedman specifically dropped Brett Peterson, the Florida Panthers assistant general manager, and San Jose Sharks assistant GM Jeff Kealty as two executives tied to Detroit’s search. Peterson’s resume? Oh man, it’s lights out. He’s been the Panthers assistant GM since 2020 and was right there in the management group that built their back-to-back Stanley Cup champion teams in 2024 and 2025. That’s not a typo, two Cups! He also ran the United States men’s team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. His official bio says he’s got player evaluation, contract negotiation, and even agent experience. This guy’s a winner.
Then there’s Kealty, who took a different route. The Sharks just hired him as assistant GM in July after he spent more than two decades with Nashville. San Jose put him in charge of pro scouting, working alongside GM Mike Grier. Friedman even mentioned Kealty interviewed super well in Nashville. What’s telling here is neither of these guys is some retread, pulled out of storage because they once had a GM gig somewhere else. This isn’t the usual recycling bin, and that tells you Ilitch is serious about making a fresh start.
The Red Wings are clearly swinging for the fences here. With guys like Peterson who’ve actually built Cup winners on the radar, and the willingness to look at execs from literally across the parking lot in Jeff Greenberg, this GM search is shaping up to be anything but typical. It’s a wide-open field, and whatever choice Ilitch makes next could define the Red Wings for years.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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