Detroit Red Wings giving Shawn Horcoff expanded role

It’s not the first time Shawn Horcoff has been promoted from within the Detroit Red Wings organization, but he’s moving up the ladder again. The former NHLer was around during the changeover from Ken Holland to Steve Yzerman as General Manager (GM), and Yzerman was impressed with Horcoff’s work.

This led to Horcoff being named the Director of Player Development for the Detroit Red Wings for the recent past. However, there was a recent need to fill an Assistant General Manager position, and Horcoff fits those needs quite nicely.

While the news of his hiring has been out there, it’s easy to take a deeper look and see why Horcoff is a good fit for the promotion. He’s going to be stepping into the role of Pat Verbeek, who has just recently departed the organization for the Anaheim Ducks.

Horcoff will take a more prominent role with the AHL squad and continue to help oversee the player development overall, something he’s excelled at in recent years. Having served as the Director of Player Development, Horcoff already knows who will be heading to Grand Rapids soon enough.

Shawn Horcoff is a fantastic fit for his new role with the Detroit Red Wings.

While his position is not changing that much in all reality, he’s ultimately focusing more on the Griffins than prospects overall; his previous work has set him up to succeed quite well. Since retiring in 2016, it’s been a painless transition into the front office setting for Horcoff.

He’s been around for six years and set himself up to have success in his new position where Yzerman hands him more responsibility and allows him to continue to have his hand in the developmental aspect in his work with the Griffins.

The Red Wings have a bright future, and while rookie stars Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are stationed with the NHL squad right now, there are plenty more prospects working their way to the NHL through the many ranks and leagues around the world.

Horcoff worked closely with the Red Wings development staff to ensure the future of Red Wings hockey stays bright, and now he gets the chance to work with these guys in those last steps before they make their debut and work with them while they’re in Grand Rapids.

It’s easy to see why Horcoff is an excellent fit for his new position with the Red Wings, and the organization should be looking forward to seeing his work pay off in the coming seasons.