Top candidate officially turns down Red Wings' GM job

If you're a Red Wings fan, you already know that this offseason has been one of the most turbulent stretches in recent memory. Between Steve Yzerman stepping aside, Dylan Larkin wanting out, and a playoff drought that has now stretched to a full decade, the franchise desperately needs someone to come in and right the ship. So when the news broke on Monday that one of the top candidates for the head of hockey operations role had pulled himself out of the running, well, it stung.

Detroit Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg officially withdrew his name from consideration for the Red Wings' top job. The 40-year-old told reporters that while he has great admiration for the Red Wings organization and was honored to even be in the conversation, he's committed to finishing what he started on the baseball side of things in Detroit.

A Cross-Sport Candidate With Real Credentials

Greenberg was never your typical hockey GM candidate, but his connection to the role made more sense than you might think at first glance. The Ilitch family owns both the Tigers and the Red Wings, and Greenberg actually has NHL front office experience on his resume. Before taking over as Tigers GM in September 2023, he spent the 2022-23 season as an associate general manager with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Before his stint in hockey, Greenberg climbed the ranks in baseball, working his way up from a baseball operations intern with the Chicago Cubs in 2012 to an assistant GM role with the club from 2020 to 2022. In three seasons running the Tigers, he guided the team to two playoff appearances, though Detroit is currently sitting at 78-84 and looking like they'll miss the postseason this year, especially after dealing ace Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers at the trade deadline.

Still, his track record of building competitive rosters and his familiarity with the Ilitch ownership group made him a legitimate option for the Red Wings. The fact that he chose to stay with the Tigers narrows the field for a franchise that really cannot afford to get this hire wrong.

The Mess Awaiting Detroit's Next Hockey Boss

Whoever ultimately lands this job is walking into a situation that requires immediate attention on multiple fronts. Yzerman moved into a senior advisory role to governor and CEO Chris Ilitch back in July after seven seasons at the helm without a single playoff appearance. The Red Wings finished last season sixth in the Atlantic Division at 41-31-10, ending up seven points short of the Ottawa Senators for the final postseason berth.

And then there's the Larkin situation. The team's captain requested a trade back in June, and he reportedly provided the organization with a short list of just four teams he'd be willing to waive his full no-trade clause for: the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Dallas Stars. Larkin is heading into the fourth year of an eight-year, $69.6 million deal carrying an $8.7 million cap hit. He put up 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games last season and helped Team USA capture gold at Milano Cortina 2026, so his value is clear, but moving him under those no-trade restrictions won't be simple.

The longest active playoff drought in the NHL now sits at 10 seasons, and it belongs to Detroit. The new head of hockey operations will need to figure out the Larkin trade, assess the roster's competitive window, and try to restore a franchise that was once the gold standard in professional hockey. With Greenberg now out of the picture, the pressure is on the Ilitch family to find the right person for one of the biggest rebuilding jobs in the league.