If you’re the Detroit Red Wings leadership, this is a lesson that should’ve been learned decades ago. Iconic players do not make iconic coaches or managers.

From Bart Starr to Bobby Clarke to Magic Johnson, there’s a mountain of evidence that just because you led a team to glory as a player, it means you’ll do likewise as a coach or GM. However, the Wings didn’t need to look far to understand this reality.

The Yzerman departure had to happen. As much as he is rightfully adored,the team was going nowhere and basically stuck in an abyss. I don’t understand why this didn’t happen before the draft and postseason.

— michael stone (@stoney16) July 15, 2026

All they had to do was look at their own history.

Steve Yzerman was removed from his position as GM of the Red Wings on Wednesday. As captain of the club, he led the Wings to three Stanley Cup titles.

In seven seasons as GM in Detroit, the club never played a single Stanley Cup game.

He has good company in this malady among the legendary wearers of the Winged Wheel.

Iconic Red Wings Captains were Lousy GMs

Alex Delvecchio was also captain of the Red Wings and a three-time Stanley Cup winner. As coach of the team from 1973 to 1976, Delvecchio went 53-81-21. The Wings never made the playoffs with Delvecchio behind the bench.

As GM of the team from 1974-77, Delvecchio’s Detroit clubs also never made the playoffs.

Ted Lindsay was captain of the Red Wings and a four-time Stanley Cup winner. As coach of the team in 1980-81, Lindsay was 3-14-3.

He was also GM from 1977 to 1980. In his five seasons as coach or GM, the Wings made the playoffs once. They won a best-of-three first-round series.

Of the 11 Stanley Cups won by the Red Wings, the only person who was either coach or GM of those teams who also played for the team was Ken Holland. His Red Wings playing career lasted three games.

Putting Legends in Charge is a Detroit Tradition

This isn’t just a Red Wings ailment. Putting iconic former players into positions of power is a Detroit sports tradition.

As coach of the Detroit Lions for six seasons, legendary former Lions linebacker Joe Schmidt went 43-34-7. His teams made the NFL playoffs once, but never won a postseason game.

Alan Trammell was a World Series winner and a Hall of Famer in a 20-season career as a Detroit Tigers shortstop. He was 186-300 as Tigers manager from 2003 to 2005.

Guard Joe Dumars won two NBA titles with the Detroit Pistons. As Pistons GM for 14 seasons, there were some high points. Dumars won an NBA championship in 2003-04, his fourth year in charge.

Then it went south. The Pistons teams run by Dumars endured six successive losing seasons from 2008-09 through 2013-14, when he was relieved of his duties.