We're now into September and the Detroit Red Wings, somehow, still don't have a new general manager. That means work is piling up as training camp approaches, so here are the first three things he should do when he gets the job.
Steve Yzerman "stepped down" as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings on July 15. Six weeks later, we still have no clarity on who his successor will be.
There's been plenty of talk about possible candidates, from both inside and outside the organization, and there has been some indication that the search is at least beginning to enter its final stages.
Once the question of who the next Red Wings GM is has been settled, that person will have to quickly move on to some unfinished and rather pressing business.
These are the three things that should be at the top of the to-do list:
1. Extend Simon Edvinsson
Yup, the Red Wings' massive young defender remains an unsigned restricted free agent, one of six still out there as of this writing. Edvinsson's agent has even told the Swedish media in mid-August that there hadn't been much negotiation in the absence of a GM.
This should not be tough for either side. The Red Wings have more cap space than any team in the league right now at nearly $19.6 million, and everyone understands that they are going to struggle.
The money isn't an issue, and if, as that article says, Edvinsson's camp seems to be valuing him in the $7.5-8 million range, the new GM should be fine with that, as long as it's somewhere near the max term.
That puts him a hair under Moritz Seider, and creates a kind of glass ceiling few defensemen coming into the organization are going to be able to justify exceeding, even with the salary cap going up.
This would also be a nice first win for the new GM and the team in general, which is needed. Because the next two things on the list are gonna piss people off.
2. Trade Dylan Larkin
I know everyone loves talking tough about how GMs, in general, should deal with players who publicly request a trade. But this next hire can't really afford to hike up their britches and say, "Listen to me, you little puke…" with Larkin.
The guy wants out because the team isn't gonna win anytime soon. It's hard to blame him. Sure, he made a commitment to the club, especially as a local boy and its captain, but do you want your uninspired leader playing hockey for what is likely to be a dead-end team?
It's better to just cut bait, take the best value you can from his preferred destination(s), and move into the future with a new, younger core.
The new GM's predecessor tried it with this group, and it didn't come close to working. Just forget it.
3. Trade Alex DeBrincat
If you're accepting that you have to trade Larkin, then why on earth would you keep DeBrincat, a pending UFA who scores boatloads of goals and can only veto a trade to half the league?
The odds that he wants to return to Detroit at the end of this contract have to be extremely low, so you might as well face facts and move on. This doesn't have to be a training-camp deal, by any means, but if he's still on the team around the holiday roster freeze, that seems like a bit of mismanagement.
He's a very good player who can help just about any team, but look at where the Red Wings have gotten with his help for his entire tenure, despite the fact that he has 107 goals over the last three seasons.
And unlike Larkin, the lack of complete control over his destination leave you open to let teams either consider him a pure rental, or find a landing spot that he's amenable to beyond this season. It doesn't hurt to put some lines in the water.
Any new hire is probably going to get some leeway to remake the roster in their preferred style, and while there are certainly leftover Yzerman-engineered contracts that will be tough to move, DeBrincat and Larkin clearly aren't among them.
Ship 'em both out, announce your bold new vision for the future, and accept that there's going to be at least another couple years of darkness before the light.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
