DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings are suspending Dylan Larkin without pay, the team announced Thursday, in response to the news that Larkin would not participate in the team’s games pending a trade.
Larkin, 30, requested a trade from the Red Wings in June, but remains with the team nearly a month into the season.
“Dylan Larkin has informed us that he will no longer play for the Detroit Red Wings,” interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said in a statement. “We are disappointed with 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 interest of the Detroit Red Wings and support the long-term goals of the organization. I want to thank and congratulate our coaches and players for their continued focus and commitment to competing every day.”
Dylan Larkin played his last game with the Red Wings
Sean Gentille
Horcoff also addressed the situation during a press conference Thursday evening.
“(I) got a call from Dylan’s agent today, just saying that Dylan wasn’t coming to the rink and that he didn’t want to be a part of the Red Wings anymore,” Horcoff said.
Larkin, who the Red Wings drafted with the 15th pick in 2014, was the Red Wings’ top center for nearly a decade and was their captain from 2021 until the end of last season. The team stripped him of his captaincy before training camp, but he still reported to camp and played early in the Red Wings’ season. The home crowd booed him on opening night (when he was injured and presented with scratches) and in his first game back in uniform.
But even though the boos have since died down, Larkin’s desires haven’t changed. He recently expanded the list of teams for which he would waive his no-trade clause to include 10 teams: the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals and Utah Mammoth. On Thursday, the Red Wings revealed that Larkin would not play in that night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, said in a statement to Athletics Thursday, “We believe he has been very professional and cooperative throughout this process,” but that Larkin is “fed up with the situation.”
Horcoff said trade negotiations were still ongoing.
“Since I got the job on day one, I have worked thoroughly and exhaustively with CAA to find a solution for Dylan,” Horcoff said. “We spoke to the teams on Dylan’s list.
“We’ve talked to other teams and gotten calls from other teams in this league who have expressed interest in Dylan. And we just continue to try to find a solution that works for both parties.”
Larkin’s cap hit is $8.7 million and his salary this season is $8 million, meaning each day he misses the 194-day NHL schedule will cost him $41,237.11.
Horcoff said he is focused on getting the right deal to get the organization up and running for long-term success.
“I’m open to all kinds of deals, and really, we’re just trying to find something that’s right, for a comeback, for someone of Dylan’s caliber. … I’m doing my best to try to help this group that we have here now in the immediate future if we can.
“…The truth is, when you have a player of Dylan’s caliber, your phone rings daily. And my phone rang a lot today.”
This isn’t the first time this season that an NHL star has been suspended without pay pending a trade. The Winnipeg Jets have suspended goaltender Connor Hellebuyck after he failed to report to training camp. The Jets ultimately traded him to the New Jersey Devils last week.
Horcoff said he was surprised by Larkin saying he was no longer going to play for the Red Wings after first dealing with the implications of his trade request.
“My original plan was to try to solve this problem,” Horcoff said. “I wanted to try to do what I could to keep Dylan here and in the Red Wings jersey and I clearly wasn’t able to do that.
“…I think when that phone call came in today, I think the last couple of days maybe during the road trip, you could sense that things were going a little bit wrong with him and he was maybe getting a little more frustrated, but I will say it was a little bit of a surprise to me this morning.
Horcoff said Larkin’s position today was that it was too much for him and he wasn’t going to come to the rink or be part of the team.
“Dylan doesn’t want to be a Red Wing anymore,” Horcoff said, “and he’s not with us.”
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