What Happened
Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin will not dress for Thursday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks, head coach Todd McLellan told reporters. McLellan also said interim general manager Shawn Horcoff will speak about the situation. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Larkin skipped Wednesday's practice and the plan is for him to stay out of the lineup until a trade is finished.
Key Details
- Larkin, 30, asked for a trade during the summer and later lost the captaincy
- He reported to the team despite the request
- Friedman reports Larkin did not practise Wednesday and is expected to remain out until a deal is done
- Larkin holds a no-trade clause and has reportedly widened his list to 10 teams
- Per The Detroit Free Press, the list includes Florida, Minnesota, Vegas, Dallas, Washington, Carolina, Utah, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Colorado
- Montreal is not among the teams on the reported list
What It Means
Detroit is holding Larkin out while it works toward a trade, a sign the club is treating a deal as the likely end point rather than a return to the lineup. Horcoff, in the interim role since September, appears positioned to finish the move that stalled under former general manager Steve Yzerman, whose removal came on July 15 as the team began searching for a new head of hockey operations.
What's Next
Horcoff is expected to address reporters about Larkin's status. Any trade would require a destination from Larkin's reported 10-team list, and he is not expected back in the lineup until a deal is completed.