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Following a period of uncertainty, the Detroit Red Wings appear to have begun the interview process as they search for Steve Yzerman’s successor as general manager.
Yzerman vacated his role in mid-July, sending shockwaves throughout the Red Wings fan base and the NHL due to the unusual timing. The 2026 NHL Draft had already concluded, while free agency was already two weeks underway.
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Now, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, who was the first to report captain Dylan Larkin’s explosive trade request in early June, has revealed several names the Red Wings are reportedly interviewing.
On his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast, the well-connected analyst began by explaining that he believes the Red Wings started by interviewing internal candidates, including assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff and fellow assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper.
However, the first external candidate Friedman suggested is on Detroit’s list is Andrew Thomas, who currently serves as an assistant general manager with the Detroit Tigers under GM Jeff Greenberg, another candidate reportedly being considered.
“So, they’ve started to interview candidates—I think they’ve interviewed internal candidates first,” he said. “I think they interviewed Andrew Thomas. Andrew Thomas – who used to work for the Minnesota Wild – he works for the Tigers now, too.”
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“And, when this opened up, I don’t know that Andrew Thomas is going to be ready for this now, but I’ve heard that they think very highly of him. And so, that’s a name to remember, although I’m not convinced the opportunity is going to be his now.”
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Friedman then continued by suggesting Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson, along with San Jose Sharks assistant GM Jeff Kealty as potential candidates.
“There have been some reports: Brett Peterson, Jeff Kealty,” he said. “Like, I heard Jeff Kealty really interviewed well in Nashville; he’s in San Jose now.”
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However, the most intriguing name in Friedman’s mind continues to be Greenberg, who has largely spent his executive career in Major League Baseball with multiple clubs, as well as a stop with the Chicago Blackhawks for a single season.
“You know, I said this on NHL Network before I went on vacation at the beginning of August: Jeff Greenberg is the name that interests me,” Friedman said. “He works for the Tigers, he worked for a year for the Blackhawks. Before that, he worked for the Cubs. But he’s not in charge (of the Tigers), but he is the GM.”
The Red Wings are set to open Training Camp on Sept. 17, less than a month from now.
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