Detroit's GM search has dragged on for more than two months now, and Elliotte Friedman just offered a theory worth considering.
"What if they're thinking of talking to somebody who isn't available now because their team is still playing or their sport's still going," Friedman said on The FAN Hockey Show.
"I've at least allowed myself to think that that's a possibility," Friedman added.
That's a real explanation for a timeline that's otherwise been hard to justify. Yzerman stepped away from the GM chair back in July, and camp is already underway with interim GM Shawn Horcoff running things.
If Friedman's theory holds, Detroit could be quietly waiting on someone whose current team or sport hasn't finished its season yet, rather than dragging its feet without a plan.
Detroit finished 41-31-10 last season, 16th overall, under head coach Todd McLellan, a roster that still needs real direction at the top before any major decisions get finalized.
Dylan Larkin's unresolved trade request and Simon Edvinsson's contract talks are both sitting in limbo while this search continues, giving real weight to how much this delay is actually costing the organization.
Why waiting for the right person could actually make sense
Hiring the wrong GM out of pure urgency has burned plenty of franchises before, and Friedman's theory suggests Detroit might be playing a longer game than the surface timeline suggests.
If ownership genuinely believes a specific candidate is worth waiting for, even one who's currently occupied elsewhere, that patience could pay off more than a rushed hire made just to fill the seat before camp.
Horcoff has already been given authority over contracts, and reports suggest an Edvinsson deal could close within days regardless of who ends up in the permanent chair.
But bigger decisions, like whatever finally happens with Larkin, may genuinely be on hold until Detroit knows exactly who's making that call long-term.
Friedman's theory doesn't confirm anything specific. It's speculation from someone plugged into the situation, not a name or a certainty.
Still, it's the first explanation that actually makes Detroit's unusual timeline make sense, rather than just looking like an organization stuck without direction.
Should the Red Wings wait for their ideal GM candidate even if it delays the hire further?
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