There's no way to say this without sounding blunt: the national media doesn't get the Detroit Red Wings.
To be fair, it's hard to understand unless you're within Hockeytown's orbit. To outsiders, the Red Wings probably look like a mess of a franchise, one that's struggled to properly rebuild. Without context, they might even earn comparisons to the Buffalo Sabres of all teams. Even Steve Dangle coined the term "Red Sabres" to take a cheap shot at the Red Wings at the start of the 2025-26 season. (Talk about the pot calling the kettle black).
But the Red Wings aren't the Buffalo Sabres. They're the single most successful NHL franchise in the United States. Their 11 Stanley Cups, six Conference Championships, 6 President's Trophies and 19 Division Championships speak for themselves.
This isn't meant to wax poetic about the Red Wings of the past. Nor is it meant to somehow imply that the Red Wings of today come remotely close to teams of yore. But, when discussing the Red Wings, this context is extremely necessary. The Red Wings aren't an expansion franchise that has struggled to make the playoffs. They were, at one point, the gold standard of the NHL.
That's why the discussions around Dylan Larkin from national media figures come across so wildly out of touch.
Where the media misses the mark
On the Jeff Marek Show, Shayna Goldman of The Athletic posits the idea that stripping Dylan Larkin of his captaincy will "vilify him even further".
“I almost feel like you take away the C, you’re vilifying him even more.”@shaynagoldman_ discusses whether the Dylan Larkin situation in Detroit has gone too far. pic.twitter.com/PCj684Ef1g
August 31, 2026This isn't meant to be a knock on Marek or Goldman. Both media figures are entitled to their opinions. That said, the infantilization of Dylan Larkin is getting a little ridiculous. Larkin requested a trade after missing the playoffs throughout most of his career. He's well within his right to do so. He's also well within his right to choose his ideal destinations.
But that doesn't mean he's somehow a victim in this process.
As the leader of the team, you're expected to, well, lead. What does it say about an organization if their leader is a guy who doesn't even want to be there? This shouldn't even be up for discussion. Larkin should have been stripped of his captaincy the moment he requested the trade.
To pretend that Larkin is blameless in this process is willfully misinterpreting a story. Larkin hasn't released a single statement or held a single interview since making his request public. Unlike fellow Team USA teammate Connor Hellebuyck, he hasn't said so much as a peep to the fans that cheered him on for over a decade.
And that doesn't even scratch the surface of Larkin's lackluster production last season.
National media more concerned with narrative than reality
Marek and Goldman aren't the only ones who believe this, either. Multiple writers on The Hockey News discussed the idea of mending fences with Larkin as if the idea was a foregone conclusion. The national media treats this whole disaster like the locker room is with Larkin all the way.
Have they been paying attention at all?
Moritz Seider openly stated that the team was blindsided by the trade request. Andrew Copp's comments heavily imply that the team is far from thrilled with Larkin's decision. To top it all off, the Larkin camp has confirmed they haven't budged from their trade request. Yet, despite this, national hockey media continues to trip over itself to construct a narrative.
The Red Wings aren't an expansion franchise desperate to keep their captain. This is a team full of legends like Mr. Hockey, The Captain and The Perfect Human. They're one of the most storied franchises in professional sports. This isn't a team that's going to bend over backwards to keep a 70 point center.
No matter whta national media figures confidently muse, a breakup is inevitable.
Larkin will have to deal with the consequences
It must be stated again that Larkin is absolutely within his right to request a trade, especially if he thinks it's the best move for his career. But that doesn't make him a victim. It doesn't mean the fans have to suck it up and deal with it if he decides to come crawling back.
Whether he's in the Winged Wheel or some other jersey when next he plays in Detroit, he's going to get booed. It's a foregone conclusion at this point. The city of Detroit and its fans value loyalty. Lions fans still boo Matt Stafford to this day, even if his situation is drastically different from Larkin's.
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