Detroit Red Wings owner Chris Ilitch is facing plenty of criticism over the direction of his hockey franchise, but he wants to make one thing perfectly clear: He isn’t trying to be the team’s general manager.
Speaking with reporters Thursday, October 15, ahead of Detroit’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers, Ilitch addressed his involvement in hockey operations and explained why he believes his responsibility is to hire the right people rather than make day-to-day personnel decisions.
And when it came to questions about his role in shaping the roster, Ilitch delivered a particularly direct response.
Chris Ilitch: ‘I’m Not Going to Sit Here and Act Like a GM’
With the Red Wings struggling to start the season and still operating without a permanent general manager, questions about ownership’s involvement have become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Ilitch pushed back on the idea that he should be personally directing hockey decisions, explaining that his approach has always been to empower the executives running the organization.
“I’m not going to sit here and act like a GM,” Ilitch said.
But that wasn’t his only message. Ilitch also acknowledged that he remains ultimately responsible for the franchise’s direction, even if he isn’t personally making every hockey decision.
“I’m accountable for the direction of the franchise and also for finding the right folks to lead it,” Ilitch explained.
That distinction matters, particularly for an organization that has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons. Ilitch may not be negotiating contracts or evaluating trade proposals himself, but he understands that responsibility for the overall direction of the Red Wings ultimately rests with ownership.
His comments also come as we have documented growing frustration among Red Wings fans, including chants calling for him to sell the franchise.
Ilitch Explains Why He Trusts His Hockey Executives
Rather than taking control of hockey operations himself, Ilitch says his job is to provide executives with the authority and resources necessary to build a winning team.
That philosophy applied to former general manager Steve Yzerman, continues with interim GM Shawn Horcoff, and will extend to whoever eventually takes over the organization.
Ilitch also emphasized his confidence in Horcoff, who has been tasked with navigating several important situations while the franchise searches for permanent leadership.
Those responsibilities include Dylan Larkin’s uncertain future, Simon Edvinsson’s contract situation, and major decisions involving the team’s long-term roster construction.
As we recently reported regarding Horcoff’s approach to Edvinsson’s contract negotiations, Detroit’s interim GM has continued working through difficult personnel matters despite the uncertainty surrounding his own position.
Meanwhile, Ilitch has made it clear that the next major hire will be a president of hockey operations, not necessarily another general manager.
According to his latest explanation of the leadership search, the incoming president will have the authority to determine whether the organization needs an additional general manager and when that person should be hired.
Ilitch has also indicated that the search could conclude during the season or extend until after it ends.
For Red Wings fans, that means patience will continue to be required, whether they like it or not.
Ilitch insists his responsibility is to identify the right hockey leaders and allow them to execute their vision. However, after a decade without playoff hockey, the results have made it increasingly difficult for ownership to escape criticism.
He may not want to act like a general manager, but there is one decision he cannot delegate: choosing the person who will finally get the Red Wings back on track.