5 Priorities for the Red Wings' Next General Manager

The 2026/27 NHL season is just over six weeks away, so when a new Detroit Red Wings GM is hired, he's going to have to work very, very fast.

The Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Red Wings entered the 2026 off-season on the back of another very disappointing season, but with the organization having some proven NHL talent and a very intriguing prospect pool, hopes were high that they could improve one way or another over the summer.

Unfortunately, the team hasn't done anything of note beyond trading Sebastian Cossa, using the pick they acquired in exchange to land J.P. Hurlbert in the 2026 NHL Draft after they dealt their own first-round pick for Justin Faulk at the trade deadline.

That simply isn't enough for a team that's on a decade-long Stanley Cup Playoffs drought, and after a lackluster start to the off-season, the team parted ways with General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Steve Yzerman, moving him to a new role within the organization.

His departure occurred on July 15th, meaning it's been more than a month for the Red Wings without anyone full-time in their front office, and reportedly, their search is well underway.

Whenever that new person is hired, there will be less than six weeks until the 2026/27 regular season begins, so today, we're going to take a look at five things this new GM needs to prioritize immediately upon arrival.

1. Pick a Short and Long Term Direction for the Red Wings Franchise

Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Right now, the Red Wings are in the midst of a decade-long Stanley Cup Playoffs drought, and for an iconic franchise like Detroit, that should be absolutely unacceptable.

As a result, many would expect them to go all in to push for a post-season spot, but in an Atlantic Division with Tampa Bay, Florida, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, all of whom are better than the Red Wings right now, their post-season hopes are low.

Sure, the team can still hope to push for a Wild Card spot if all things go right, but in the long term, that's simply not a viable strategy, with the team having very few elite-level players ready to contribute in 2026/27.

The young duo of Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond provide plenty of optimism and should be building blocks in Detroit for years to come, and while there's a pathway to go either way for this organization, the new GM will need to decide whether or not a retool is worth it, and he'll have to decide quickly, as that will influence other moves on this list.

2. Sign Simon Edvinsson to a Long-Term Contract Extension

Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Simon Edvinsson is the Red Wings biggest RFA this off-season, and after seeing Leo Carlsson sign an offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers, many fans started to worry about Edvinsson and the potential of an offer sheet in Detroit.

As of right now, he's neither signed an offer sheet nor a long-term deal with the Red Wings, but given that 2025/26 was another productive season alongside Moritz Seider, he's become crucial to the future.

At 23 years old, it would be organizational malpractice for them not to sign him to a long-term deal, and given how straightforward that should be, this is likely the first thing a new GM needs to get done.

At 6-foot-6, 222 pounds, Edvinsson is the perfect top-line defenseman for Detroit in the long term, and while it's not going to come cheap after what we've seen other defensemen sign for this off-season, this should be Detroit's biggest priority ahead of the 2026/27 regular season.

3. Gauge Interest in Two Key Veterans

John Gibson of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As mentioned above, the Red Wings will need to quickly answer questions over their long-term plan, and if that plan, as it should be, is to build the team in the long term around their young core, the team has other potential trade candidates that could be moved.

While that doesn't mean other veterans on the team need to be dealt immediately, it means the front office should start gauging interest in them, with the most obvious candidates being Justin Faulk, who was just acquired by the team via a ridiculous overpay at the trade deadline, and goaltender John Gibson.

Both still have immense value, and if the league-wide interest Is strong enough, the team should prioritize their value heading into the trade deadline, where they could acquire some good future assets to continue building for the future.

4. Decide Whether or not Todd McLellan is the Long-Term Answer

Todd McLellan of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Todd McLellan was a mid-season hire for the Red Wings during the 2024/25 season, and while he made an immediate positive impact, the returns in 2025/26 weren't anywhere near as impressive.

Dating back to 2008 with the San Jose Sharks, McLellan has always managed to elevate his teams, and while he's over .500 as the Red Wings coach with a 67-49-14 record, as of right now, the team still hasn't been able to take the leap to post-season contention.

Right now, he's a coach who can hopefully elevate this team enough to be a genuine post-season threat, but if the team decides to prioritize the future, the new General Manager will need to make a statement on McLellan and his long-term viability as the Red Wings' bench boss.

5. Trade Dylan Larkin

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This may be controversial to some Red Wings fans, as many have accepted that Larkin is likely coming back ahead of the 2026/27 season despite his insistence on a trade, but it's because he's been so demanding of a trade that bringing him back just doesn't make sense.

Unfortunately for Detroit, to get a deal done, they would likely need to lower their asking price to get it done, as some reports have revealed they are seeking a genuine 1C as a return piece for Larkin.

Simply put, none of the teams he wants to be dealt to are going to give up their best center to land a player that has been openly disgruntled with his current team, but the new GM will now just have to bite the bullet and move Larkin to avoid all of the speculation and potential locker room frustration.

This process would be made much, much easier if Larkin expanded his trade list, but as of right now, that doesn't appear likely, so if the team needs to take a futures-based package from Minnesota to get it done, that's the way it should be.

The team in the short and long term is better without a disgruntled captain leading the way when he clearly doesn't want to be there.