Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, has requested a trade.
"There’s a lot to unpack here," begins Friedman in his post. "First, should mention that no one would comment. Not Larkin, not agent Pat Brisson, not Red Wings Executive Vice-President & GM Steve Yzerman. "
Dylan Larkin has played all 11 seasons of his career, scoring 643 points across 808 games with the Red Wings. Larkin finsihed last season with 67 points in 74 games, scoring 34 goals in the process. Larkin's $8.7M contract continues through the 2030-2031 season and comes with a full no-trade clause in both the 2026-27 and 2027-28 season.
Larkin's trade request a surprise for Red Wings
This news comes as a complete shock to both Red Wings fans and people outside the organization. Larkin was seen as the heart and soul of the team, a player willing to give his all every night. Friedman, who confirmed this information with multiple sources, believes that there are two key factors that have played into this request:
"There appear to be two critical factors," Friedman begins. "Detroit’s inability to make the playoffs, and a somewhat frosty relationship between the captain and the team’s top hockey executive. This is also another sign of how the league is changing. Players are getting bolder with these requests — especially in the aftermath of Matthew Tkachuk’s and Quinn Hughes’ power moves into different situations."
While Friedman doesn't outright say it, there's a bit of implication behind his words: it's clear that whatever agreement Larkin and general manager Steve Yzerman reached last season didn't work out according to plan. While Yzerman did make efforts to bolster the roster during the trade deadline, the Red Wings still failed to make the playoffs.
Last season, a few comments from Larkin seemed to suggest his relationship with Yzerman had soured. While some chalked this up as mere speculation, Friedman's sources seem to confirm an underlying tension that's steadily built as time has gone on in Detroit.
Potential Larkin trade candidates
Here's the thing: any trade for Dylan Larkin needs to have a top-tier center come back in return. It's hard to imagine the Red Wings would move him for anything less. At the very least, the Red WIngs stand to recoup with a high-end player as a result. This could be anywhere from Jason Robertson to someone like, say, Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.
No matter what happens, it's a clear sign a culture change is coming to Detroit.
The Red Wings have failed to make the playoffs in every year of Larkin's captaincy. They've come close, but each time, they've fallen short. It's hard to blame Larkin for wanting a fresh start, but it does speak to the overall state of the organization if the heart and soul of the team wants out.
"Buckle up," says Friedman. "We'll see where this takes us between now and the draft."
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