Dylan Larkin trade negotiations take an unexpected turn, and Steve Yzerman is involved
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The fallout from Steve Yzerman's exit as Detroit Red Wings general manager continues to center on captain Dylan Larkin, and insider Anthony Di Marco believes the two are directly connected.
Speaking on TSN 690, Di Marco relayed a conversation with a rival general manager who painted Yzerman's departure as a calculated move by Detroit's front office.
Speaking with a GM about a month ago, the opinion I got was that they are trying to reconcile with Larkin and part of that was moving Yzerman out.
Larkin requested a trade out of Detroit in early June, with reports indicating he would only accept a move to a handful of teams, including the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild.
Yzerman addressed the situation publicly after the 2026 NHL Draft, declining to guarantee the request would be honored and pointing to the five years remaining on Larkin's contract.
Tension Traced Back To Last Season
Friction between Larkin and Yzerman reportedly dates back to the end of the 2024-25 season, and that strain appears to have shaped how the front office approached this offseason.
With Yzerman now out of the picture, some around the league believe Detroit has a better chance of convincing its captain to stay.
Whether Larkin is open to reconsidering remains unclear. Reporting has suggested the relationship may be too fractured for him to simply walk back his trade request, even under new management.
If Detroit can't find a trade partner willing to meet its price, a reconciliation may become the most realistic path forward.
For Red Wings fans who just want the bandaid ripped off, it appears as though they are going to have to wait a while for that to become a reality.
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