Jiri Fischer Director of Player Development

Jiri Fischer enters his sixth season as director of player development for the Red Wings. In his role, Fischer acts as a liaison between the team and the prospects within the organization. He oversees and evaluates Detroit’s young players currently playing in juniors, college and Europe. Fischer travels extensively throughout the course of the season spending time with each prospect, helping to further their development by providing guidance, education and support. He continues this mentoring process until a prospect has developed into a professional, either at the NHL level with the Red Wings or at the American Hockey League level with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Fischer was a first-round pick (No. 25 overall) of the Red Wings in the 1998 NHL entry draft. An imposing figure on defense at 6-foot-5 and 235-pounds, he patrolled the blue line for Detroit from 1999-00 through 2005-06. In 305 career games, the Horovice, Czech Republic, native scored 11 goals and collected 60 points. He also amassed 295 career penalty minutes. Fischer won the Stanley Cup as a player with Detroit in 2002 and was selected as the Red Wings’ Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association following the 1999-2000 season. 

Jiri and his wife, Avery, have one son together and reside in suburban Detroit during the season.