Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Wild have been chasing a Dylan Larkin trade high since the start of the NHL offseason, when reports leaked that the Red Wings’ 30-year-old centerman — who holds a full no-trade clause — had requested out of Detroit.
And when word got out, back in early June, that the Wild were indeed on his list of THREE acceptable trade destinations, president of hockey operations Bill Guerin put the rest of Minnesota’s offseason objectives on hold, while he waited for the Wings to crack during Larkin negotiations.
Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Unfortunately, that still hasn’t happened. Worse yet, the general manager in-charge of negotiations, Steve Yzerman, was fired on June 24, throwing talks up to that point out the window.
Now, with just days remaining until NHL teams are scheduled to start training camp, Detroit still hasn’t hired a new GM to replace Yzerman… and Larkin remains on the Red Wings roster, not the MN Wild’s.
Dylan Larkin, Red Wings release statements on training camp, captaincy, more
After Michael Russo reported earlier this week that Larkin — who’s been the Red Wings’ official Captain since 2021 — was not participating at the recent Captain’s practices being held in Detroit, there were questions over whether he would show up for training camp at all.
On Friday morning, Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings put those questions to bed, releasing joint statements confirming that the FORMER Captain will be at training camp when it begins next week. However, he will no longer have a “C” on his chest, according to the Wings’ official statement.
Statements from Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings. pic.twitter.com/P2sZjqp9Iz
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 11, 2026
A STATEMENT FROM DYLAN LARKIN
“Over the past couple of weeks, Red Wings leadership and I have had several in-depth discussions. I’ve appreciated those candid conversations, and I will be at training camp with my teammates. When new leadership is in place, we’ll talk further about the direction of the team. We will keep those conversations private, and I will keep my focus on the season ahead and on the guys in that room.”
STATEMENTS FROM THE DETROIT RED WINGS (cont…)
On the Captaincy of the Red Wings:
The Red Wings will begin the 2026-27 season without a captain being named. Any further discussions or decisions regarding this topic will be made once new hockey operations leadership is in place.
Where do Larkin, Minnesota Wild go from here?
Refusing to trade Dylan Larkin always felt like the final trump card, in this situation. Was Larkin really going to skip camp and threaten to sit out regular season games, in order to force a trade? Probably not.
While the Minnesota Wild remain confident, internally, that they will still ultimately land their new No. 1 center, it isn’t going to happen until there’s a new GM in Detroit. Even then, how willing is the new guy in charge to deal one of his best players — regardless of Larkin’s happiness.
Last season in Detroit, Larkin scored 34 goals and piled up 33 assists in 74 games. He currently sits 10th all-time in Red Wings’ goals and points. They can’t take thost stats away from him, but they probably would if they could…
STATEMENTS FROM THE DETROIT RED WINGS (from above tweet)
On Dylan Larkin Reporting to Camp:
We look forward to seeing Dylan and the rest of his teammates at Little Caesars Arena for the start of training camp as we prepare for the upcoming season.
On Dylan Larkin’s Trade Request:
Dylan is under contract as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. Any conversations regarding his future with the Club will take place privately when a new hockey operations leader has been named. As such, we will not comment any further on this matter.
Related: Quinn Hughes Finally Speaks on Contract Talks with MN Wild
Larkin couldn’t have known it at the time, but he picked the worst possible offseason to demand a trade. Clearly, the Red Wings were already growing frustrated with Yzerman, prior to Dylan’s request.
But since firing him, their indecisiveness in choosing a replacement proves they weren’t prepared for a change. And that’s led to an incomplete roster in Minnesota and a locker room situation in Detroit that feels untenable.
Mentioned in this article:Detroit Red Wings Dylan Larkin NHL Trade Rumors nhl training camp
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