Red Wings Suspend Dylan Larkin After Trade Deadline Refusal

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin has been suspended after refusing to report to the rink on Thursday. The move follows nearly five months of speculation regarding his trade request and marks the end of his tenure as the team's captain.

The suspension was announced by interim general manager Shawn Horcoff during a media session on Thursday. Horcoff stated that Larkin's agent, Pat Brisson, called to confirm the player would not come to practice and no longer wished to play for the club. Horcoff noted that he planned to speak with the roster that evening, though most players likely learned the news via social media first.

Horcoff emphasized that the front office is prepared to wait for a suitable trade package. He described the process as difficult because the teams on Larkin's approved list face challenges fitting the center's salary into their rosters. "I'm prepared to wait as long as it takes to make sure that the return is something good for the Red Wings," Horcoff said.

The center holds a no-trade clause that limits his potential destinations to ten specific teams: Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, Florida, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Utah, Vegas, and Washington. Horcoff expressed hope that Larkin would expand this list, noting that certain clubs are missing from the current group. Montreal has shown strong interest, but the player has not added the Canadian based club to his approved list.

Larkin is currently under a team friendly contract that runs for five years including the current season. His average annual salary is 8.7 million dollars. Horcoff called Larkin a "heck of a player" and acknowledged the difficulty of replacing a top line center who was part of the organization's long term plans. He said the goal is to acquire players who can help immediately while also securing the long term success of the franchise.

Horcoff said the front office has worked extensively with Larkin's agency, CAA, since he took the job. They have spoken to the teams on the player's list and received calls from other interested clubs. Horcoff admitted that he hoped Larkin would rescind his trade request. "I wanted to try to do what I could to keep Dylan in a Red Wings jersey, and clearly I was unsuccessful," he said.