The Red Wings suspended Dylan Larkin without pay on Thursday and took him off the roster. The AP reported that the team says Larkin's agent told it the center will no longer play for Detroit. The club is frustrated that it hasn't been able to trade him in the months since he asked for a deal. "We are disappointed by his decision, particularly given his obligations to the organization and his teammates," interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said in a statement shortly before the game against Chicago.
The outlets differ slightly on who delivered the message. The AP version says the agent told the team. Yahoo's shorter item and ESPN say Larkin himself told the club. Sportsnet's summary says only that Larkin won't be paid while he waits for a trade. ESPN says Detroit is exploring trade options.
Sportsnet video interviews with Horcoff add some detail on the trade. He said he has had ongoing talks since he took the job. He said he wants to "find a solution" that works for both player and club. He also said it would be nice to get players who can help now, but that the "ultimate goal" for the return is long-term success. None of the summaries we have say which teams are involved or what Detroit is asking for. They also don't say how long the suspension will last.
The team played on without him. In our box score, Detroit beat Chicago 4-1 at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, and Larkin is not in the lineup. Viktor Arvidsson had a hat trick, and Alex DeBrincat had two assists. Moritz Seider played 24:17, the most of any Detroit skater. The Red Wings out-shot Chicago 29-19 and scored once on four power plays. The power play is a unit Larkin worked on, as he had logged 3:37 of power-play time at Edmonton on Oct. 26.
That Edmonton game was his last appearance in our data. He scored in the 4-3 win and played 23:16, and Detroit has won two straight since. Larkin's season line stands at five points and a +2 rating. The Red Wings are 6-4 but sit seventh in the Atlantic, so the loss of a top-line center comes with the club still trying to move up the standings.
Seider, speaking after Larkin's exit, said it was time to "turn the page," per Sportsnet. In a separate clip he said he just wants Larkin to be happy, even if that is with another team. Sportsnet's items refer to Larkin as the former captain and the team's captain in different places, so it is unclear whether he still holds the C.
6-47th in Atlantic DivisionStreak W2
Detroit's next game is Saturday against St. Louis, and then it plays at Florida on Nov. 2. Those are the next games without Larkin. A trade is the only resolution anyone has described.
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