Report: Dylan Larkin requests trade from Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, according to a new report by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Larkin, 29, has spent the entirety of his NHL career to date with the Red Wings, who originally picked him in the first round (No. 15 overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft. The 6’1″ center racked up 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games with the Red Wings in the 2025-26 regular season.

According to Friedman, Larkin’s trade request stems from his frustration with Detroit’s long playoff drought, which extended to 10 seasons after their failure to clinch a berth in 2025-26. Larkin also reportedly has a “frosty relationship” with Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman.

“There’s a lot to unpack here,” Friedman wrote on Thursday. “First, should mention that no one would comment. Not Larkin, not agent Pat Brisson, not Red Wings Executive Vice-President & GM Steve Yzerman. 

“Second, Larkin’s involvement in the trade market is massive,” Friedman added. “He has a full no-trade clause both this season and next, so his control over the situation does not change July 1. He’s a top-line centre in a league desperate for centres, so there’s going to be a ton of interest. His play at the 4 Nations and Olympics was stellar. That’s going to excite potential trade partners.”

Larkin is under contract with the Red Wings through 2031 at an $8.7 million annual cap hit. He has served as the Red Wings’ captain since the 2020-21 season, succeeding Henrik Zetterberg in that role.

A six-time 30-goal scorer, having reached that mark in each of the last five seasons, Larkin is sure to be one of the top players available on the trade market this summer. It remains to be seen how accommodating the Waterford, Mich. product will be after making his request; as Friedman noted, Larkin has a full no-trade clause in his contract through 2028.

Through 808 career NHL games over 10 full seasons with the Red Wings, Larkin has collected 276 goals and 643 points. He has only skated in five Stanley Cup Playoff games in his career, all as a rookie in the 2015-16 season, scoring one goal and recording 18 penalty minutes.

Additionally, Larkin played for Team USA at both the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics, collecting three goals and five points in 10 games across the two tournaments. He won a gold medal with Team USA at Milano-Cortina 2026.