Dylan Larkin breaks silence on Red Wings trade request and angers fans with his statement
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dylan Larkin broke his silence on the Red Wings trade request Thursday, opening up about the decision without revealing the reasons behind it.
Dylan Larkin spoke publicly for the first time since requesting a trade from the Detroit Red Wings, and he made it clear he is not ready to explain why.
Larkin addressed reporters on Thursday as Red Wings camp opened, and he did not shy away from the topic, even if he would not go into detail.
He said there is a lot of personal stuff behind the decision, and that he is not ready to share it, and may never be.
He acknowledged fans and people who care about the organization want answers, but said he is simply not in a place to give them right now.
The Detroit captain confirmed he was the one who asked for a trade, and he said he does not regret making that call.
He described it as a difficult decision, not something he did on impulse, and not something he takes lightly.
"There's a lot there, a lot of personal stuff in that, and to be honest with you guys, I'm not ready to go there yet," he said.
"I understand that there's answers that fans and people that care about this organization around the world want to know, but I'm really not ready to go there. It's maybe something that I may never be, you know?"
"It wasn't easy to get to that decision. It was very hard. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing. I don't take what I did lightly," he said.
"It was not because of them."
"I wish so badly I could be on the ice, because that's where the actions will follow the talking."
- Dylan Larkin
"I understand that there's answers that fans and people that care about this organization around the world want to know, but I'm really not ready to go there. It's maybe something that I may never be, you know?"
"It wasn't easy to get to that decision. It was very hard. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing. I don't take what I did lightly," he said.
"It was not because of them."
"I wish so badly I could be on the ice, because that's where the actions will follow the talking."
- Dylan Larkin
Where things stand with Horcoff
When asked whether the request has been rescinded, Larkin kept that conversation private, saying only that it is between him and interim general manager Shawn Horcoff.
That leaves Detroit in a holding pattern as the front office continues searching for a permanent replacement for Steve Yzerman.
Larkin also addressed his relationship with teammates, saying he spoke to them directly and wanted them to know the situation had nothing to do with them.
He said he gave the group space rather than making it about him.
Larkin still wants to play
Despite the uncertainty, Larkin made clear he wants to be on the ice, saying that is where his actions can speak louder than his words.
For a captain, now former, who has spent his entire career in Detroit, that tension between wanting out and wanting to compete says plenty on its own.
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Previously on House Of Hockey