Detroit Red Wings suspend Dylan Larkin after agent signals exit
The center was placed on paid suspension and removed from the roster following a dispute over his trade requests.
By Allison Rojas ·
The Detroit Red Wings have suspended Dylan Larkin without pay and removed him from the active roster on Thursday. General Manager Steve Yzerman and the front office took this action after Larkin's agent informed the team that the center would no longer play for the franchise.
The suspension came shortly before Detroit hosted the Chicago Blackhawks at home. Coach Todd McLellan told reporters earlier in the day that Larkin would not play in the game. The organization expressed disappointment in a statement issued before the puck drop, citing the player's obligations to his teammates and the club.
Larkin, 30, has recorded two goals and six assists in 10 games this season. His career totals stand at 278 goals and 649 points in 818 games since his debut in the 2015-16 season. The Waterford, Michigan native was selected by Detroit with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 draft after playing college hockey for the University of Michigan.
The center wears an eight-year contract with five years remaining and an annual salary cap hit of $8.7 million. He holds a full no-trade clause. Larkin initially requested trades to Florida, Minnesota, and Vegas before adding other teams to his list in recent weeks. He had been with the team since the franchise's postseason drought extended to a decade, though he began this season without the captaincy he previously held.
Larkin played a key role for the United States team that won Olympic gold at the Milan Cortina Games in February of last year. In this season's opening stretch, he missed two games due to an upper-body injury. He returned to score in his debut against Ottawa, where he was booed during his first shift. He added another goal in a win at Edmonton on Monday night.
The suspension adds to roster issues for Detroit. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned nearly a month into the season. The 23-year-old Swede recorded nine goals and 25 points in 72 games last year. He has 19 career goals and 60 points in 175 games. The Red Wings also signed forward Alex DeBrincat to a seven-year contract worth $13 million per season two weeks ago.
