Dylan Larkin won’t be on the ice when Red Wings training camp opens, and the reason now attached to his absence only adds another twist to an already strange situation.
Detroit interim GM Shawn Horcoff told reporters Wednesday that Larkin suffered an upper-body injury while training this week, which will keep the 30-year-old centerman out of practice to start camp. That comes after Larkin and the Red Wings issued joint statements last week that had left the impression he would be ready to report in pads this week.
The timing matters because Larkin’s name has been swirling in trade talk for months. The Minnesota Wild have been pursuing him since June, and their president, Bill Guerin, has remained convinced he’ll eventually land the Gold Medal-winning forward. With Minnesota’s camp set to begin tomorrow, the latest development in Detroit only heightens the noise around a possible deal.
There’s also another layer here: Michael Russo of The Athletic reported in the past couple of days that Quinn Hughes may be waiting for the Larkin situation to get resolved before signing the extension everyone has been anticipating since July 1. Hughes has spoken openly about patience and about waiting as long as he feels necessary before making a move, but the question now is whether he’d really want to take the ice for camp practices knowing one awkward play could put a huge contract in jeopardy.
Horcoff also made clear Wednesday that he is in charge of Detroit’s hockey operations and front office, with the final say on any decision involving a Larkin trade. He also addressed whether Larkin could become a distraction, saying, "We’re a better team with Dylan in our lineup."
Asked about the next captain, Horcoff said, "That’ll work itself out."
For now, the Red Wings are dealing with a camp opening that looks very different than expected - and a situation around Larkin that feels closer to movement than it did a day ago.
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