Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade following last season, will report to training camp next week but will not return as captain.
The team and Larkin issued statements Friday about how they will move forward when camp opens on Thursday.
“We look forward to seeing Dylan and the rest of his teammates at Little Caesars Arena for the start of training camp as we prepare for the upcoming season,” the team said.
Larkin, a Michigan native, has spent his entire 11-year NHL career in Detroit. The Red Wings, however, are mired in a 10-year playoff drought, and he has appeared in only five playoff games in his career.
Times are changing in Detroit. Winger Patrick Kane returned to the Chicago Blackhawks in July in free agency. That same month, the Red Wings said Steve Yzerman would move from general manager to a senior adviser position.
Without a GM in place, no decision has been made on Larkin’s trade request. He reportedly has given the Red Wings a list of teams for which he would waive his no-trade clause. He is playing on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract that extends through the 2030-31 season.
The changes also include a shift in captaincy. Larkin had served in the role since 2021.
“The Red Wings will begin the 2026-27 season without a captain being named,” the team said in its statement. “Any further discussions or decisions regarding this topic will be made once new hockey operations leadership is in place.”
Larkin, 30, is waiting to hear about the new leadership as the new season approaches.
“Over the past couple of weeks, Red Wings leadership and I have had several in-depth discussions. I’ve appreciated those candid conversations, and I will be at training camp with my teammates,” Larkin said in his statement. “When new leadership is in place, we’ll talk further about the direction of the team. We will keep those conversations private, and I will keep my focus on the season ahead and on the guys in that room.”
Larkin recorded a career-high 34 goals to go along with 33 assists in 74 games in the 2025-26 season.
A gold medalist on the 2026 United States Olympic team in Italy, Larkin has totaled 643 points (276 goals, 367 assists) in 808 career games since he was selected by Detroit with the 15th overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft.
