This summer has been significant for the Detroit Red Wings, particularly for individuals with ties to the Big Ten. The team has signed former Michigan Wolverine Tyler Motte as a free agent and is also promoting an Ohio State University alumnus within their ranks.
Aaron Kahn, who has been the Director of Hockey Operations, will now add the role of Assistant General Manager to his responsibilities. Kahn announced his new position on LinkedIn, stating his excitement about his dual role with the Red Wings.
With Kahn’s promotion, the Red Wings now have three assistant general managers working under GM Steve Yzerman. Shawn Horcoff, who oversees the team’s minor league system, is responsible for managing the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Meanwhile, Kris Draper, the director of amateur scouting, manages the scouting staff and handles preparations for the NHL Entry Draft.
In his expanded role, Kahn will focus on the business aspects of the Red Wings’ hockey operations, including managing contracts and addressing salary cap issues.
Kahn, a Berkeley, California native, began his hockey career as a goaltender with the San Jose Jr. Sharks. He played college hockey at Ohio State University, where he joined the Buckeyes’ club team in the ACHA as a walk-on. He graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Sport Industry and Business, with a pre-law concentration.
After graduation, Kahn spent the 2016-17 NCAA season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Bowling Green Falcons, where he worked with goaltenders and served as a video coach. He later earned his law degree from UCLA and worked as a corporate attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Los Angeles.
Kahn’s initial NHL experience came in 2015 as a media relations intern with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He then served in hockey operations for the Washington Capitals from 2019 to 2021, focusing on salary cap and legal affairs. The Red Wings hired him as Director of Hockey Operations in the summer of 2021, and his new role as Assistant General Manager marks a further step in his NHL career.