Red Wings shake up front office again amid 0-2 start, trade rumors
The Detroit Red Wings are only two games into the 2026-27 season, and already the front office is in flux again. Winless after a Sunday loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the team is preparing for its first road trip Tuesday — but before the puck drops, Shawn Horcoff's interim front office has been reshuffled once more.
According to Max Bultman of The Athletic, assistant general manager Kris Draper is taking over pro scouting duties, a significant shift from his previous role overseeing amateur scouting. In his place, chief amateur scout Jesse Wallin will now run the amateur scouting department. These changes, per Bultman, are in place until Detroit's front office is finalized.
It's the latest sign of turbulence in a franchise that can't seem to find stable footing — on or off the ice. The Red Wings are 0-2, and the whispers around two of their most important players are growing louder. Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson reportedly want trades, according to the source. The club has not confirmed those reports, but the speculation alone adds another layer of unease to an already tense situation in the Motor City.
Draper's move is particularly notable given his history with the organization. The former center enjoyed his best years in Detroit after being infamously traded by the original Winnipeg Jets in 1993 for $1 USD. He went on to win four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, becoming a beloved figure in Hockeytown. His shift from amateur to pro scouting suggests the team is prioritizing immediate needs — perhaps a reflection of the current roster's struggles — rather than long-term development.
Wallin, meanwhile, is also a familiar name. A former first-round pick, he spent his entire four-year playing career with the Red Wings. After retiring, he coached the WHL's Red Deer Rebels from 2008 to 2012 and later worked as an amateur scout for the St. Louis Blues. Now he's being handed the keys to Detroit's amateur pipeline, a role that will be critical for the franchise's future — whoever ends up leading it.
The timing of these moves is telling. The Red Wings are trying to dig themselves out of a hole that's only two games deep, but the hole feels deeper because of the off-ice noise. A 0-2 start isn't catastrophic in a long NHL season, but when your captain and a rising young defenseman are reportedly eyeing the exit, every loss carries extra weight.
Detroit's on-ice product hasn't been great, to put it mildly. The team has looked disjointed, and the early-season struggles have only fueled speculation about a larger rebuild or reset. The front-office shakeup, while focused on scouting roles, sends a message that the organization is willing to make changes — even if those changes are temporary.
Horcoff, serving as interim GM, is clearly trying to steady a ship that's taking on water. Whether these moves will spark a turnaround remains to be seen. But the Red Wings are hoping that a fresh look at pro scouting — and a new leader for amateur scouting — can bring some clarity to a franchise searching for direction.
For fans, the questions are mounting. Will Larkin and Edvinsson stay? Can the team find its first win on the road? And what does this front-office shuffle mean for the long-term plan? The answers aren't clear yet. But one thing is certain: in Detroit, the season is already feeling like a test of patience.
Tuesday's game will be the first real chance to see if these behind-the-scenes changes have any immediate impact. The Red Wings need a win — not just for the standings, but for the morale of a fanbase that's seen too many false starts. And with trade rumors swirling around two of their most valuable assets, every game from here on out could carry franchise-altering stakes.
The front office is in flux. The roster is under pressure. And the season is only beginning. For the Red Wings, the only way out is through — and it starts on the road.
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