The Simon Edvinsson standoff is turning into a referendum on who really runs the Red Wings, and interim GM Shawn Horcoff is taking the heat.
One Detroit podcast put it bluntly: "There is no way Shawn Horcoff has any amount of power right now."
Their logic was simple. "Any logical person would look at this situation and immediately ink Simon and fly a jet to Sweden to get him."
Edvinsson is still in Sweden without a contract. The sticking point is term, with Detroit reportedly preferring a shorter bridge deal while his camp pushes for more.
The podcast went further, calling Horcoff "very obviously a fall guy" and saying that in his shoes, they would resign "before I ruin my name."
Their point: having an Edvinsson trade pinned on you "because it looks like the owner is too cheap" isn't something any GM should have to carry.
Detroit fans question who's really calling the shots above Shawn Horcoff
They also credited Horcoff for his work with Grand Rapids, calling him a manager with "obvious talent." That makes this situation sting even more.
Teams have already called about the 23-year-old defenceman, per Pierre LeBrun. Detroit's stated priority remains signing him, not trading him.
The week around it has been rough. The Red Wings opened with a 2-0 home loss to the Rangers, fans booed Dylan Larkin at introductions, and chants of "sell the team" rang out.
-
This looks like an ownership problem more than a Horcoff problem. An interim GM can negotiate, but someone above him decides how much term and money Detroit is willing to commit.
It's like blaming the waiter because the kitchen ran out of food.
Resigning would be extreme. But Horcoff needs the authority to close this deal, or at least the public cover to say he doesn't have it.
The Red Wings host Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon. Edvinsson won't be there, and every shift on the left side without him is a reminder of why.
David Pagnotta pegged a max deal at $9 million to $11 million annually. If Detroit won't pay it, another team's offer sheet eventually might.
Is Shawn Horcoff being set up as the fall guy in Detroit?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Elliotte Friedman confirms imminent Oilers trade involving blueliner as forward heads in
