Ex-Edmonton Oilers captain lands major GM gig with Red Wings
Another former Edmonton Oilers player will step into an NHL general manager job, for now.
After removing Steve Yzerman back in July, the Detroit Red Wings have been without a full-time GM for most of the offseason. The former Red Wings superstar served in that position for the past seven seasons, but will now step behind the scenes, acting as a senior advisor for Detroit.
With training camp right around the corner and still no permanent replacement in sight, the Red Wings opted to promote Shawn Horcoff to act as the team’s interim GM until the search can be completed.
Horcoff joined the Red Wings during the 2016-17 season as their director of player development and was promoted to assistant GM in 2021-22, where he has been for the past several seasons.
“As our process continues to find the best possible leader for Red Wings hockey operations, I’m appreciative of Shawn for stepping up to serve in this capacity,” said Red Wings Governor and CEO Chris Ilitch in a release.
“His knowledge of our organization and range of experience allows us to operate with a clear decision-maker in place for the season ahead, while maintaining our commitment to carry out a thorough, methodical search process on our own timeline.”
The Detroit Red Wings name Shawn Horcoff interim General Manager.
Details » https://t.co/Joaqi8DKUR pic.twitter.com/fYf5419PF8
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2026
Oilers fans will remember Horcoff for his tenure in Edmonton spanning 12 seasons between 2000-01 and 2012-13. He was named captain of the Oilers ahead of the 2010-11 season and wore the “C” for three years before being traded to the Dallas Stars during the summer of 2013.
After Edmonton, Horcoff would play three more seasons in the NHL, spending time with both the Stars and Anaheim Ducks before retiring at the end of the 2015-16 season.
Horcoff was originally drafted 99th overall by the Oilers in 1999, and remains one of the longest-tenured players in franchise history. His 796 games in the Alberta capital rank eighth among Oilers players, ahead of Connor McDavid, who is currently at 794 games — and counting.
The B.C. native notched 162 goals and 447 points as a member of the Oilers, with his most memorable stretch coming during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. Horcoff led all Edmonton forwards during that playoff run with 19 points.
That included an iconic triple-OT goal against the San Jose Sharks in Game 3 of the second round.
Ilitch has said that Horcoff remains a candidate to take over the job on a permanent basis. It seems his history and familiarity with the franchise made him the perfect interim option while the organization conducts a wider search, but there is still a chance Horcoff can shake off the interim label down the line.
If he can, he’ll be the latest former Oiler to take on a full-time NHL GM job, joining the ranks of San Jose’s GM Mike Grier, Minnesota’s Bill Guerin, and Ottawa’s Steve Staios.