Larkin in limbo: Red Wings open camp with ex-captain injured and not on ice after he asked for trade

DETROIT (AP) — Former Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, who asked for a trade in the offseason, talked to his teammates Thursday about his request and answered some questions from reporters on the first day of training camp.

“I’m trying to be professional about it,” Larkin said.

The Red Wings said on the eve of camp that Larkin would not skate in the first practice because of an upper-body injury.

“I got hurt in the gym working out,” he said. "I’m pushing to get healthy. I want to be out there. It was very unfortunate timing.

“I wish I could show with my actions to build trust with my teammates again and with the fans.”

Larkin’s future with the franchise is in limbo.

The 30-year-old standout center asked to be traded during the offseason and he's still on the team with interim general manager Shawn Horcoff in charge after Steve Yzerman was shifted to a role as a senior advisor.

The Red Wings announced last week that Larkin would report to training camp, adding that he’s no longer the team’s captain.

“I asked for a trade from the Detroit Red Wings as a captain and that has consequences,” he said. “I understand why that decision was made.”

Larkin has five seasons left on the eight-year, $69.6 million contract he signed in 2023. That deal includes a no-trade clause and he initially told the Red Wings he would only accept a move to Florida, Minnesota or Las Vegas.

Larkin declined to share which teams he's willing to be traded to, would not say if his request to be moved still stands or if he wants to stay with the team.

He has played his entire NHL career in Detroit, which took the former Michigan star with No. 15 draft pick in 2014. Larkin ranks 10th in franchise history in scoring with 643 points. Larkin was an important role player for the United States when it won the Olympic gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games in February.

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