The NHL offseason drama cranked up this week with the Red Wings dropping the news: Steve Yzerman is transitioning from his GM and EVP roles. Yeah, *that* Yzerman, the legend player, is now just a senior adviser to governor and CEO Chris Ilitch. It's a seismic shift, but the big question on everyone's mind is what this means for their captain and first-line center, Dylan Larkin.
The Yzerplan That Never Was
Yzerman's legacy as a player in Detroit is untouchable, absolutely legendary. He even had early success as a GM, taking over Tampa Bay in 2010 and building them into a Stanley Cup Final team by 2015. He didn't manage their 2020 and 2021 Cup wins, but he was the guy who assembled that core. So, when he took the Red Wings GM role for the 2019-20 season, hopes were sky-high for a similar turnaround. But man, it just didn't happen in Detroit. The rebuilding strategy never panned out the same way. He drafted some absolute studs, sure, like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, who have found success. The problem? Yzerman failed to assemble the right supporting cast around that main core. In his seven seasons at the helm, the Red Wings couldn't make the playoffs even once. That's a brutal stat for any club, let alone one with his pedigree.Dylan Larkin's Looming Exit
This move didn't come out of nowhere, especially with the Dylan Larkin situation simmering. The "elephant in the room" was a fed-up captain, their first-line center, who requested a trade after a frustrating end to last season. News of that request went public on June 4. Larkin, 29, has five seasons left on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract he signed March 1, 2023, with an average annual value of $8.7 million. He crushed it last season, putting up a career-high 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games. This guy is respected and well-rounded, but get this: he's only got one playoff appearance in his entire career, a first-round loss back in his rookie season in 2016. A taste of Olympic gold, a career regular season with absolutely nothing to show for it in terms of team success, plus seeing his peers leverage no-trade clauses, and Yzerman's lack of urgency at trade deadlines when the team was *in* a playoff race. Yeah, those are all totally understandable reasons for Larkin to want out after 10 years in Detroit. He hasn't spoken publicly about his request, so we're all left guessing on his exact motivations. But with Yzerman gone, the plot thickens big time. Can a new GM actually convince Larkin to stick around in his hometown, the only NHL town he's ever known? Or has this situation soured past the point of no return?The Hunt for a New Leader
This is a pivotal moment for Detroit, no doubt about it. They now officially own the league's longest postseason drought, and they've got to find a new GM, like, yesterday. Do they go in-house and potentially stick with a variation of the failed Yzerplan, or do they bring in some fresh blood from outside? Frankly, a new perspective feels refreshing given Yzerman's deep connection to the franchise might have kept him around a bit too long. Keep an eye on Evan Gold, the Bruins assistant GM and Providence Bruins GM. Boston just announced he's leaving their organization effective August 1 to "pursue other opportunities in the National Hockey League." Could he be the guy to right the ship and, more importantly, save Dylan Larkin for Detroit? This GM search is going to define the future of that franchise, and we're all watching to see if they can finally end this drought.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.