Detroit opened camp with its top center sidelined: Dylan Larkin will miss the start of on-ice work after suffering an upper-body injury away from the rink earlier this week, leaving the Red Wings to manage both his recovery and his standing with the club.
Key takeaways
- Larkin will remain with Detroit during rehabilitation, with the club aiming for a preseason return but offering no firm date.
- The Red Wings captain has requested a trade, though interim general manager Shawn Horcoff would not discuss negotiations or possible destinations.
- Horcoff said he holds full control over hockey operations after being named interim GM on Tuesday.
- Detroit will begin the season without naming a captain, despite Larkin having worn the “C” as its first-line center.
- Restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson is the organization’s immediate contract priority.
- Alex DeBrincat, coming off team-leading totals of 41 goals and 85 points, is also eligible for an extension.
Red Wings wait on Larkin’s return
Larkin was not expected to skate when Detroit holds its first training-camp practice Thursday morning. Horcoff said the club will bring the 30-year-old center along carefully and add him to group ice sessions once he is feeling well enough to do so.
Detroit is hopeful its captain can get back before the exhibition schedule ends, but Horcoff stressed that the medical timetable has not yet been established. The focus, he said, is getting Larkin healthy before pushing him back into camp.
The injury arrives while Larkin’s future remains unsettled. He has asked to be traded, but Horcoff said discussions between the player and organization will stay behind closed doors. He described the conversations as constructive and said Larkin has the team’s support while he recovers.
Larkin still has five seasons remaining on the eight-year, $69.6 million deal he signed March 1, 2023. The contract carries an $8.7 million average annual value.
Detroit is a stronger club with Larkin in the middle. He posted career highs with 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games last season while continuing to anchor the Red Wings’ top line. Horcoff said he does not expect the trade request to become a room issue, pointing to supportive public comments from teammates including DeBrincat and Moritz Seider and calling Larkin a professional.
The club announced Friday that it would enter the season without a captain. Horcoff did not commit to leaving the position vacant for all 82 games, saying the matter will sort itself out and that Detroit has plenty of leadership in its dressing room.
Edvinsson deal tops Horcoff’s contract list
While Larkin’s health and trade request will hang over the opening days of camp, Horcoff also has a major piece of roster business on his desk. Edvinsson remains unsigned as a restricted free agent, and Detroit wants a deal completed quickly.
Horcoff called the young defenseman an important player and one of the organization’s bright spots, saying the Red Wings will move to begin contract work immediately.
DeBrincat is another long-term file for the front office. The Detroit native has one year left on his current contract and became eligible to sign an extension July 1. After leading the Red Wings in both goals and scoring last season, he remains a central offensive piece and a respected voice in the room.
There is no immediate deadline on a DeBrincat extension, but Horcoff said Detroit intends to address it. The winger’s attachment to his hometown club and his desire to remain a Red Wing give the organization reason to pursue an agreement.
SEO Title: Dylan Larkin Injured as Detroit Red Wings Open Training Camp
Meta Description: Dylan Larkin will miss the start of Detroit Red Wings training camp with an upper-body injury as the club handles his trade request, Simon Edvinsson’s contract and Alex DeBrincat’s extension talks.
