The Detroit Red Wings name Shawn Horcoff interim General Manager. Details » bit.ly/interimgm_
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NHL Notebook: Former Oiler Shawn Horcoff named Red Wings interim general manager
Photo credit: Lou Capozzola-USA TODAY NETWORK
Sep 15, 2026, 19:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 15, 2026, 18:44 EDT
A former Edmonton Oiler has earned an interim general manager job.
On Tuesday morning, the Detroit Red Wings announced that former Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff will replace Steve Yzerman as the team’s general manager, albeit with the interim tag.
Horcoff has been with the Red Wings organization since the 2016-17 season, first serving as the director of player development while Ken Holland was the general manager, then moving to a few other roles before becoming the general manager of their American Hockey League team and assistant general manager of the Red Wings. He held on to both roles from the 2021-22 season until taking over for Yzerman before the start of the 2026-27 season.
The Trail, B.C., product had a lengthy playing career as well, selected 99th overall by the Oilers in the 1998 draft. Making his National Hockey League debut in 2000-01, Horcoff spent 12 seasons with the Oilers, where he amassed 162 goals and 447 points in 796 games.
He scored a career-high 22 goals and 73 points in 2005-06, helping lead the team to a surprise Stanley Cup final, scoring seven goals and 19 points in 24 games. Following Ethan Moreau’s departure, Horcoff was named the Oilers’ 15th captain in franchise history, and the team’s 13th captain since the Oilers joined the NHL.
Horcoff’s Oilers tenure ended in the summer of 2013, as they sent him to the Dallas Stars for Philip Larsen and a seventh-rounder in the 2016 draft, the beginning of a trade tree that is still currently active. Horcoff played two seasons with the Stars, then a season with the Anaheim Ducks in 2015-16 before retiring.
Blackhawks name Connor Bedard captain
Speaking of captains, the Chicago Blackhawks named Connor Bedard as their newest captain, the 37th in the franchise’s history.
a new letter on the chest, a new chapter ahead ❤️ introducing the 37th 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 of the Chicago Blackhawks, 𝐂onnor Bedard!
Bedard was touted as this generation’s next best player, even scoring 71 goals and 143 points in 57 Western Hockey League games during his draft year. That led to the Original Six franchise selecting the right-shot centre first overall in 2023.
The Vancouver product has been a productive player in the league, winning the Calder Trophy in 2023-24 after scoring 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games. In 2024-25, he scored 23 goals and 67 points in 82 games, his only season where he remained healthy. The arrow continued to trend up this past season, scoring 30 goals and 75 points in 69 games.
Bedard replaced Nick Foligno as the Blackhawks’ captain after the veteran was traded to the Minnesota Wild before the 2026 trade deadline.
Two more players sign long-term extensions
If a team wishes to extend a player to an eight-year deal, it must be done by 9:59 p.m. MT on Tuesday, as the new Collective Bargaining Agreement begins on Wednesday. Well, two more teams have signed one of their players to an eight-year deal.
On Tuesday morning, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Ottawa Senators signed Drake Batherson to an eight-year deal with an annual cap hit of $10.75 million. Batherson is coming off a career-best season where he scored 33 goals and 71 points in 79 games.
Eight years x $10.75M AAV for Drake Batherson in Ottawa. Major business done by the Senators.
A few hours later, the Washington Capitals announced that they’ve extended Ryan Leonard to an eight-year deal with an annual cap hit of $10.5 million. Leonard, selected eighth overall in 2023, scored 20 goals and 45 points in 75 games in his rookie campaign after spending two seasons with Boston College and winning back-to-back gold medals with Team USA at the 2024 and 2025 World Junior Championship.
GOT LENO ON LOCK The Washington Capitals have re-signed forward Ryan Leonard to an eight-year, $84 million contract extension. Leonard’s contract will carry an average annual value of $10.5 million. Full details: washcaps.com/9for8 #ALLCAPS | @Shift4
These two players are just the most recent players to sign long-term extensions, as Cale Makar, Zeev Buium, and Fraser Minten also committed to long-term deals in the past few weeks.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for DFOEdmonton, DFOCalgary, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on X at @Ryley__Delaney.
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Edmonton OilersTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2027-28
2028-29
Projected Cap Hit
$88,322,500
$61,025,000
Projected Cap Space
$25,177,500
$61,975,000
Current Cap Space
$25,177,500
$61,975,000
Active Players
16/23
10/23
Draft Picks
Round
'27
'28
1
0
1
2
1
0
3
0
1