Dylan Larkin isn’t playing for the Red Wings tonight, and all signs now point to Detroit holding him out until a trade is completed.
Todd McLellan told reporters Thursday morning that Larkin will not dress against Chicago, and that interim general manager Shawn Horcoff will speak to the situation. Elliotte Friedman then reported, “Larkin will not play until a trade occurs. The Red Wings are expected to release a statement.”
The move matches what’s been building around the situation for days. Larkin asked for a trade at the start of the offseason, and Minnesota has been the club most closely connected to him since then. A week ago, Michael Russo said he expected a deal soon, and now the sense is that Larkin may have already played his final game in Detroit.
Frank Seravalli reported that the plan is for Larkin to sit out for asset protection until a trade gets done, adding that it sounds like Larkin’s camp has applied pressure. The logic is straightforward: keep him off the ice, avoid an injury, and protect his trade value until Detroit closes a deal.
Larkin’s numbers this season have been modest by his standards. In 10 games, the 30-year-old has two goals and four assists, and he has scored on just two of his 32 shots, a 6.3% conversion rate that sits well below his 11.4% career mark. Last season, he put up 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games, giving him five straight seasons with at least 30 goals.
The trade chatter only intensified as Thursday rolled on. Pierre LeBrun reported that talks have escalated, while noting that doesn’t guarantee an immediate deal and that there are still several possible outcomes.
Later in the day, Darren Dreger said Larkin’s camp believes trades with teams on his 10-team list “have been close and could have been finalized.” Dreger also reported that Detroit is not looking for a futures-heavy return and wants “a decent player or two” back.
Emily Kaplan then reported that Minnesota may have the strongest offer right now, with the Red Wings checking to see if another team can beat what Bill Guerin has put on the table. Kaplan added that multiple teams are still involved and that Larkin’s side is pushing Detroit to get a deal done.
Chris Johnston had already said last week on The Nielson Show that there’s “still a feeling” Larkin ends up in Minnesota. The Wild are one of the 10 teams on his approved trade list, all of them U.S.-based, and they were also on his original three-team list before he expanded it. Red Wings executives have also scouted multiple Wild games this month.
Minnesota hosts the New York Islanders tonight at 7 p.m. CDT, while Detroit is set to play Chicago at 6:30 p.m.
CDT without Larkin. The Wild enter the night first in the Central Division at 9-3-2 for 20 points, while the Red Wings sit last in the Atlantic at 5-4-3.
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