Steve Yzerman's departure as Detroit Red Wings general manager may have been driven by the team's unresolved situation with captain Dylan Larkin, according to former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau.

Boudreau questioned the timing of Detroit's decision to move Yzerman into an advisory role, saying it came well after the NHL Draft and the start of free agency.

Speaking as an analyst on TSN and OverDrive, Boudreau said:

Boudreau said Detroit's results alone don't explain the decision. He also questioned why the Red Wings waited until mid-July to make the move if a leadership change had been under consideration for some time.

Detroit announced on July 15 that Steve Yzerman would step down as general manager and transition into an advisory role with owner Chris Ilitch. Whoever replaces Yzerman as general manager will now be responsible for deciding Larkin's future if trade talks continue.

While Bruce Boudreau pointed to Dylan Larkin's situation, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman believes there may have been another reason behind Steve Yzerman's exit.

Friedman said he has no confirmation for his theory but wondered whether Yzerman felt the NHL had evolved in a direction that no longer suited him.

Friedman also said Detroit is keeping its options open as it searches for a new head of hockey operations. According to him, the Red Wings plan to interview both internal and external candidates, with Kris Draper and Shawn Horcoff among those expected to be considered.

Steve Yzerman took over as Detroit's general manager in April 2019 and posted a 224-251-9 record during his tenure. The Red Wings went 17-49-5 in his first season after posting a 32-40-10 record the year before he arrived.

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