Trade uncertainty grows around Dylan Larkin after what happened at practice today
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Dylan Larkin was not on the ice for Wednesday's Red Wings practice, and no reason has been given. His trade request is still unresolved after a recent injury.
Dylan Larkin was missing from the ice at Red Wings practice on Wednesday, and Detroit has not said why.
With a game against the Blackhawks coming Thursday night, an answer should arrive soon.
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press flagged it, and another hockey account followed by asking what every fan was already wondering.
Why the timing feels odd
Larkin asked for a trade after last season, and former general manager Steve Yzerman confirmed the request in late June.
Yzerman was removed in July, and interim GM Shawn Horcoff has been running the show since.
Larkin has also lost the captaincy he held since 2021.
Then came an upper-body injury from a workout before camp, which kept him out of the first two games of the season.
He returned against Ottawa on October 6 and played Monday in Edmonton, so sitting out Wednesday stands out.
According to practice lines shared by Max Bultman, Andrew Copp centered Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Lucas Raymond, while Alex DeBrincat skated with Emmitt Finnie and Viktor Arvidsson.
Where the trade market stands
Reports say Detroit has multiple offers for the 30-year-old center, but Horcoff has not been happy with the returns.
Larkin scored 34 goals last season and is signed through 2030-31 on a $69.6 million contract, so Detroit wants a real return.
Missing one practice does not mean a deal is close.
Players sit out for maintenance, illness, or a minor injury all the time, and nothing has been confirmed.
Still, with Larkin's situation this tangled, every skate he misses gets noticed.
A trade, an injury, or a simple day off all remain on the table, and none has been ruled in or out.
Fans will be waiting on coach Todd McLellan for an update before Thursday's puck drop.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Chris Pronger makes a concerning prediction about Quinn Hughes' future with the Wild
Chris Pronger makes a concerning prediction about Quinn Hughes' future with the Wild