Red Wings’ Steve Yzerman steps down as vice-president and GM

A massive shift in leadership in Hockeytown.

On Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that Steve Yzerman is stepping down as the organization’s executive vice president and general manager. The Hockey Hall of Famer will remain with the Original Six franchise as a senior advisor to CEO and team governor Chris Ilitch.

The team is now actively searching for a new head of hockey operations. In the meantime, he will continue to run the day-to-day operations to ensure a solid transition to his eventual successor.

“I am sincerely grateful to Chris and the entire Ilitch family,” Yzerman said in a release. “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.”

The move comes after another disappointing season for the Red Wings. Not only did they miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th consecutive season, a franchise record, but it’s how the group failed to qualify. Coming out of the Olympic break, Detroit sat third in the Atlantic Division, having previously been in first place for an extended period. However, the team fell off the cliff in the second half of the season, finishing sixth in the division, seven points back of the last Wild Card spot.

Yzerman was hired as the team’s EVP and GM in the summer of 2019, after spending the previous nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, building that team into a consistent postseason contender. There was optimism that he could resurrect the meddling Red Wings, a franchise that earned a reputation during his playing days as being the standard for success, reaching the playoffs 25 years in a row.

However, Yzerman failed to restore the Red Wings, as the team continued to be a doormat for several years. Even in the past few seasons, where it seemed as if Detroit was poised to finally work its way into the postseason, it faltered when it mattered most. The losing trend had finally become too much for some, including captain Dylan Larkin, who asked to be traded from the team he grew up cheering for shortly after the 2025-26 season ended.

Yzerman’s legacy as an executive in Detroit has certainly clouded what was a memorable playing career. He brought the “Dead Wings” back to life in the ’80s, captaining the team to three Stanley Cups, ending a 42-year drought in 1997. However, how he ultimately botched rebuilding the organization in a city that has accepted him as a second son, many are currently sour at the man they know as “Stevie Y.”