Dylan Larkin is headed back to Detroit’s training camp, but the Red Wings are making one thing clear: the captaincy is on hold.
That’s the biggest twist in a situation that has already stirred plenty of noise around the organization. Larkin, who had requested a trade, will still report to camp after what he described as several in-depth discussions with Red Wings leadership. He said he’ll stay locked in on his teammates and the season ahead while those talks continue privately.
Detroit’s announcement added another layer. The team said it will open the 2026-27 season without a captain and revisit the decision once new hockey operations leadership is in place. Larkin is still under contract, and the Red Wings said any further discussion about his future will happen behind closed doors after they hire that new hockey operations leader.
The statement did not exactly calm the waters. Fans were already rattled by the trade request, and plenty of them took aim at the team’s handling of the situation.
One follower called the statement a “blandest, nothingburger” and criticized the secrecy surrounding Larkin’s status. Others blasted the organization for not having its management situation sorted out.
Some even said Larkin should apologize for wanting out.
Elsewhere around the league, John Klingberg has closed the book on his playing career. The 34-year-old defenseman has retired after 700 NHL games, with stops in Dallas, Minnesota, Toronto, Edmonton, Anaheim and San Jose.
Klingberg was once one of the league’s most dangerous offensive defensemen, but injuries caught up with him, especially the hip issues that defined the back half of his career. He had three hip surgeries and said his body eventually stopped letting him play at the level he expected. He also said injections, anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers became regular parts of his career.
Even with his playing days over, Klingberg isn’t leaving hockey behind. He has already taken a new job with Swedish broadcaster SVT as a hockey expert.
“It feels very inspiring, actually. It’s something that I’ve thought I could do well moving forward in life when I’m done with hockey.
So I’m very excited to get this chance.”
On the trade front, the New York Islanders are being mentioned as a team in the mix for Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko. Elliotte Friedman said the Islanders are “around that” in terms of interest, but the price tag is expected to be steep for the 25-year-old.
That potential market was part of a broader discussion involving Jimmy Murphy of The Sick Podcast and Pierre McGuire, who talked about Waddell’s comments that Columbus wants any roster move to be player-for-player. Waddell said that if the Blue Jackets move Marchenko, they need to replace the offense coming back the other way. That kind of setup could complicate any idea involving the Montreal Canadiens.
McGuire put it bluntly: “As soon as he said that… I didn’t want to get everybody angry in Montreal, but as soon as he said that, I’m like, yeah, but I don’t see the fit there. Maybe there is; I don’t personally see it.”
And in Vancouver, Jake DeBrusk looks less likely to be on the move than some had thought. DeBrusk had previously sounded frustrated about the idea of a rebuild, but he later said those comments came during an emotional season.
He said he never asked for a trade and still believes he can help the Canucks win. DeBrusk is signed through 2030-31 at a $5.5 million AAV and holds a full no-movement clause.
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