Red Wings say Dylan Larkin won’t skate with team at start of camp due to off-ice training injury
Dylan Larkin to Miss Opening of Red Wings Training Camp
Bharatmorning.com – The Detroit Red Wings will begin training camp Thursday without Dylan Larkin on the ice as the veteran center recovers from an upper-body injury suffered while training away from the team. The absence arrives during an already unsettled period for both Larkin and the organization, with his long-term future in Detroit still unresolved.
Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said the club’s immediate priority is Larkin’s health. The timing of any potential transaction remains uncertain after Larkin sought a trade during the offseason.
“Our focus is getting Dylan healthy,” Horcoff said.
Larkin is expected to report for camp, but he will not join his teammates for the opening skating sessions. Detroit confirmed last week that he would attend camp and also announced that he is no longer the franchise’s captain.
A New Front Office Situation
Horcoff took over as interim general manager Tuesday following a major front-office transition. Steve Yzerman, who had served as general manager, moved into a senior advisor role after stepping down abruptly in mid-July. The Red Wings indicated that decisions involving Larkin’s future would be handled by the next leader of hockey operations.
That change places Horcoff in charge at a consequential moment. Training camp traditionally marks the start of on-ice preparation for a new NHL season, but it also brings together players, coaches and management at a time when roster questions often become more immediate. Larkin’s injury and trade request ensure that Detroit’s camp will open with attention focused on more than line combinations and preseason readiness.
The team has not established a return-to-skate date for Larkin. His health will be the first issue to address before Detroit determines whether a trade is possible, desirable or necessary.
Contract Limits the Possible Options
Larkin has five seasons remaining on the eight-year, $69.6 million contract he signed in 2023. The agreement includes a no-trade clause, giving him significant control over any move. He initially informed Detroit that he would approve a trade only to Florida, Minnesota or Las Vegas.
Those conditions narrow the range of potential outcomes. A no-trade clause means that a player cannot simply be moved wherever a club finds an acceptable offer; any destination must also receive the player’s approval. In Larkin’s situation, his initial list of preferred teams adds another layer to negotiations should Detroit pursue a deal.
For the Red Wings, the contract reflects Larkin’s importance to the club over the course of his career. For Larkin, it provides leverage as he and the franchise navigate a decision that could end a long connection with his hometown-area NHL team.
A Career Built in Detroit
The 30-year-old has spent his entire NHL career with the Red Wings. Detroit selected the former Michigan standout with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 draft, and he developed into one of the organization’s most productive players of the modern era.
Larkin ranks 10th in franchise history with 643 points. That position on the Red Wings’ all-time scoring list places him alongside players from multiple generations of a franchise with a deep hockey tradition. His production, longevity and role within the team have made the prospect of a separation particularly notable.
His value has also extended beyond the NHL season. In February, Larkin played an important supporting role for the United States as the Americans captured Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games. The tournament added another significant achievement to a career that has been closely tied to Detroit hockey since his draft day.
While Larkin will not take part in the first on-ice sessions of camp, his presence around the club and the status of his recovery will remain central storylines. The Red Wings must prepare for the upcoming season while their interim general manager evaluates the possibilities surrounding a player who has been a fixture in the organization for more than a decade.
For now, Detroit’s message is straightforward: Larkin’s recovery comes first. Once he is healthy enough to resume skating, the team and player will face the larger questions surrounding his role, his contract and whether his next chapter will continue with the Red Wings.
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