Steve Yzerman steps down as Detroit Red Wings general manager

Steve Yzerman announced his departure from the position of general manager and executive vice president of the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. The team said he will stay on as a senior adviser to owner and CEO Chris Ilitch and will assist with day-to-day hockey operations during the transition.

"I am sincerely grateful to Chris and the entire Ilitch family. This organization has given me incredible opportunities, from my time as a player to the privilege of returning as GM. I've appreciated every experience throughout the years, and I'm extremely proud to remain part of this great franchise," Yzerman said in a statement.

Yzerman, a former Hall of Fame center who retired in 2006, returned to Detroit’s front office in 2006 and later served as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he helped build a team that reached the 2015 Stanley Cup Final and earned him the league’s GM of the Year award.

He was hired by the Red Wings in 2019 with the goal of restoring the club to playoff contention after three consecutive seasons missing the postseason. The team has not won a playoff series since 2013. Over his seven-year tenure, the Red Wings failed to qualify for the playoffs and struggled to develop top prospects, while a public trade request from captain Dylan Larkin added further pressure.

"Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization. I'm looking forward to bringing in new leadership to build the championship-caliber organization Hockeytown deserves," Ilitch said in a statement.

Ilitch will oversee the search for a new head of hockey operations, with internal candidates such as former player Nicklas Lidstrom, assistant GM Shawn Horcoff and assistant GM Kris Draper mentioned as possibilities. Yzerman will remain in an advisory capacity on the search committee.