The Dylan Larkin situation in Detroit has reached a breaking point.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Red Wings center will not play again until the team satisfies his request to be traded. The development marks a major escalation in a saga that began during the offseason, when Larkin reportedly asked to be dealt after Detroit missed the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season.
“Dylan’s had enough of the situation,” Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, told TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
After Thursday’s developments, Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff released a statement expressing his disappointment in Larkin’s behavior and reemphasized the team’s desire to make a trade that best suits the club’s long-term goals. He also announced that Larkin will be suspended without pay for refusing to report to the team. Per the essential website, LarkinLosses.com, the American forward will lose $41,237 per day.
Dylan Larkin has informed us that he will no longer play for the Detroit Red Wings. We are disappointed by his decision, particularly given his obligations to the organization and his teammates. We have therefore suspended Dylan without pay.
We will continue to explore trade opportunities involving Dylan. In addition to needing his approval, any trade must also be in the best interests of the Detroit Red Wings and support the organization’s long-term goals.
I want to thank and commend our coaches and players for their continued focus, and being committed to competing every day.
Larkin hasn’t been traded yet, partly because he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause for only 10 teams, most of which are contenders. Those clubs either lack the assets Detroit wants, aren’t interested in acquiring him, or don’t have the salary-cap space to absorb his contract. All the teams on that list are also US-based: the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Utah Mammoth, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils.
According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the Capitals and Mammoth, while on the list, have not had any recent trade talks with the Red Wings. She also noted that the Caps have no interest in trading rising-star winger Ryan Leonard.
Kaplan’s report followed another NHL insider, David Pagnotta, who said Detroit may be interested in Washington’s Protas brothers, Aliaksei and Ilya. However, Pagnotta caveated that it’s unclear whether the Capitals have an appetite for that kind of move.
Despite the tumultuous summer that included losing his captaincy and suffering an upper-body injury, Larkin reported to training camp and played 10 games for the Red Wings to start the season. He recorded six points (2g, 4a) in those games, including scoring a goal in Detroit’s 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
Dylan Larkin scores likely last goal for Red Wings
During the 2025-26 campaign, Larkin recorded 67 points (34g, 33a) in 74 games, marking his fifth straight year scoring at least 30 goals. He has notched at least 67 points in the past five seasons, including a career-high 79 points (32g, 47a) in 2022-23.
Larkin, 30, is under contract with an $8.7 million cap hit for the next five years. He will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2030-31 campaign.
