Yzerman out as Red Wings general manager, executive vice president
Has held role since 2019, search for replacement underway
ByNHL.com
July 15, 2026
Steve Yzerman is out as the general manager and executive vice president of the Detroit Red Wings, the team announced Wednesday
Yzerman will continue serving the organization as senior adviser to CEO Chris Ilitch. The Red Wings have started a search to find its next leader of hockey operations, led by Ilitch. Internal and external candidates will be considered
“I am sincerely grateful to Chris and the entire Ilitch family,” Yzerman said. “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
“My commitment to the Red Wings and this community will never waver, and I look forward to supporting the organization in whatever role is needed to achieve our collective goals. I want to thank our passionate fanbase for their support, as they are what makes Detroit and the entire state of Michigan a very special place in the hockey world.”
The Red Wings had a record of 224-251-9 under Yzerman, who was hired as GM since on April 19, 2019. He took over a team that went 32-40-10 the previous season, and bottomed out to a 17-49-5 record (.275 points percentage) in his first season. That record improved in the following seasons, getting up to 41-32-9 in the 2023-24 (.555 points percentage), dipped back to 39-35-8 (.524 points percentage) and back up to 41-31-10 (.561) last season, but the Red Wings never made the postseason under him, missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs by seven points.
The Red Wings have now missed the postseason for 10 consecutive seasons after a team-record 25 straight appearances that’s third in NHL history behind the Bruins (29) and Chicago Blackhawks (28).
“Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization” Ilitch said. “I’m looking forward to bringing in new leadership to build the championship-caliber organization Hockeytown deserves.”
The next Red Wings GM will have to figure out how to get the team back to the postseason and if forward Dylan Larkin will be a part of it. The 29-year-old center and Detroit captain requested a trade after last season, which became public knowledge June 4. He has five seasons left on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract (average annual value of $8.7 million) he signed March 1, 2023, and Yzerman indicated he didn’t feel pressured to grant the request and would be comfortable retaining Larkin if the right trade did not materialize.
Larkin, a gold medalist with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, scored an NHL career-high 34 goals last season, second on Detroit behind Alex DeBrincat (41), and had 67 points in 74 games. The native of Waterford, Michigan, has 643 points (276 goals, 367 assists) in 808 regular-season games but one Stanley Cup Playoff appearance, a five-game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2016 Eastern Conference First Round
The Red Wings on July 1 signed Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year, $10 million contract (average annual value of $5 million) hoping to bolster an offense that averaged 2.91 goals per game last season (22nd in the NHL) with the addition of the 33-year-old forward who had 54 points (25 goals, 29 assists) in 69 games for the Boston Bruins
Yzerman’s No. 19 is one of nine the Red Wings have retired. He played all 22 seasons of his NHL career with Detroit and was captain from 1986 until retiring after the 2005-06 season. The three-time Stanley Cup champion (1997, 1998, 2002) had 1,755 points (692 goals, 1,063 assists) in 1,514 games and 185 points (70 goals, 115 assists) in 196 postseason games. He was voted winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the 1998 playoffs after scoring six goals with postseason highs of 18 assists and 24 points in 22 games.
Yzerman stayed with the Red Wings as vice president of hockey operations from 2006-10 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 and was named one the 100 Greatest Players in NHL history during the League’s Centennial celebration in 2017
He was hired as Lightning GM on May 25, 2010, and helped build the teams that won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.
“Steve’s lifetime of contributions to the Red Wings has meant more to this franchise than words can truly express, and I have the highest level of respect for his continued commitment to our organization,” Ilitch said. “We are thankful for Steve’s hard work and dedication as general manager and are grateful knowing Steve will remain where he belongs — here with the Red Wings family.”
