Red Wings-Larkin Saga Approaching Its Hour of Reckoning

We’ve reached September, which means the Detroit Red Wings return to the ice this month. The team kicks off training camp Sept. 17 and opens the 2026-27 season Oct. 2 against the New York Rangers. 

While most teams enter camp feeling confident in their roster and offseason decisions, the same can’t be said about the Red Wings. Detroit still needs to hire a general manager, re-sign Simon Edvinsson, and, perhaps most importantly, decide on a path forward with Dylan Larkin.

The clock is—and has been—ticking. It’s one thing to have an unresolved trade request during the summer when players and executives are scattered across the league. It’s another to have the team report for training camp with its captain’s future still hanging over the organization.

Red Wings New GM is Key to Ending Larkin Saga

When the Red Wings hire their next GM, we should get a better understanding of Larkin’s situation. Something drove him to request a trade, after all. 

Perhaps it was the rift with Steve Yzerman. Perhaps it was worse than originally suspected and Larkin thought there was no way the organization would take his side over that of a franchise icon.

If the issue was primarily Larkin’s relationship with Yzerman, then a new, player-friendly GM could potentially change the situation. A fresh voice, a different vision for the franchise, and some work with Detroit’s public relations team could give Larkin a reason to reconsider his request.

But if Larkin still wants out after a new GM takes over, that would suggest the issue is larger than simply his relationship with Yzerman. And if that’s the case, it needs to be taken seriously. Again, something drove a captain to want out of his hometown team. That’s not something you see every day.

I’m not going to speculate as to what else could be going on – just noting that there may be more to the story here.

If so, a franchise-altering decision would be one of the first tasks facing the new GM just days into their tenure. Moving Larkin would create an enormous leadership void while also forcing Detroit to replace a significant amount of offensive production down the middle. It would fundamentally change the roster.

Detroit’s next GM would likely want to move quickly if nothing changes on the Larkin front. It’s not ideal to enter your first season managing a team with a massive cloud hanging over the organization.

It’s also possible this was part of the interview process – what would the candidate do if they can’t convince Larkin to come back? Having a contingency plan in place upon joining the team could help the organization find a resolution prior to training camp.

One last note: Larkin still hasn’t publicly commented on the trade request. His agent Pat Brisson hasn’t either, apart from a short and diplomatic conversation with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. It’s surprising that Larkin’s side has said so little about the situation—even months later—whereas Zach Werenski and Connor Hellebuyck eventually broke their silence regarding their respective trade requests.

Final Word

For the project managers out there, this really is a simple if-then flow chart. If Yzerman was the issue, then a new GM should be able to resolve the Larkin issue. In addition, the organization will need to make sure the relationship is fully repaired and that he genuinely wants to be part of what comes next.

But if it was more than Yzerman, then Larkin will still want out, even with another GM at the helm (and something that should be explored further so the underlying cause(s) can be addressed whether or not Larkin stays). In this scenario, the new GM needs to maximize the return and have a plan for replacing the production and leadership Detroit would lose.

Either way, the wheels will be set in motion the moment the Red Wings appoint their next GM. An offseason of rumors and speculation will quickly turn into an action-packed period of decisions finally being made. And with training camp just around the corner, the Red Wings don’t have much time left to figure out what comes next for their captain.