Some quick thoughts Dylan Larkin's trade request
Greetings from Buffalo, here's a quick look at the big NHL news of the day.
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade.
It’s pretty big news that was broken on Thursday by Elliotte Friedman.
I’m currently at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, it’s been the biggest topic of conversation in the hotel bar here, in fact I’ve spoken to multiple agents about it. From the team side, and from Larkin’s camp, no one seems interested in talking at this moment, which is understandable, but the silence also speaks volumes about the realness of Friedman’s report.
Let’s unpack some things, as I’ve seen them over the past couple years in Detroit, and how it may have contributed to Larkin’s potential Detroit departure.
Larkin has been highly frustrated with the Red Wings lack of success, he’s played just five playoff games in his NHL career, he’s put part of that on himself, but he also hasn’t been great about hiding his displeasure with the way Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has handled things.
In fact, when Yzerman and Larkin agreed to an eight-year extension in 2023, a moment that was supposed to be a celebration, it was overshadowed by the Red Wings trading away Tyler Bertuzzi and Larkin’s extension press conference turned into a nearly tear-filled moment over one of the captain’s best friends being traded away.
When the Red Wings didn’t make moves at the deadline during the 2024-25 season, beyond trading for Petr Mrazek, Larkin publicly opined at exit interviews how the team never got the boost they felt they deserved at the deadline.
This season, when the Red Wings did buy at the trade deadline, they failed to make the playoffs, again. Larkin carries some of the blame, he was emotional about it at the end of the season, but his frustration with the overall state of the franchise also worsened.
I’m not sure what the final breaking point was, but it’s become clear that Larkin has reached his breaking point. His belief in the Yzerplan has shaken, and it probably didn’t help when both Yzerman and Red Wings coach Todd McClellan openly admitted the Red Wings needed to get better players.
In that same press conference there were some lengthy pauses from Yzerman when asked if the Red Wings have enough current players in the fold to get it done.
Going forward, it’s going to be awkward for the Red Wings until a Larkin trade materializes. Larkin was part of the plan, he was the 1C they needed a 2C behind, and now he wants out. Detroit players will now be inundated with questions about this, especially Larkin if he isn’t traded before training camp.
While the potential of Larkin trade is a gift to those in the #hockeycontent machine, it’s going to come with some challenges. Larkin has a no-trade clause, and Yzerman also doesn’t have to trade him, in fact Yzerman could be spiteful and hold him. In order for this trade to happen, Yzerman and Larkin will have to see eye-to-eye, which hasn’t been the case in recent years.
It adds another wrinkle to the ongoing saga, which is only going to evolve now that it’s been blasted into public.