By: Jackson Laird
“Just because Larkin wants out does not mean the Wings are planning a fire sale of their team.”
From Michigan’s Own to Hockeytown’s Captain
Dylan Larkin is not just a hometown kid who grew up to play for his state’s professional team; he is the epitome of Michigan Hockey and the embodiment of the “Hockeytown” name. He attended high school at Ann Arbor Pioneer while playing for the U.S. developmental team, he played for the Michigan Wolverines in college and went on to be drafted by his hometown team, the Detroit Red Wings, before representing his country in the Olympics as a captain for team USA. For most hockey-loving youngsters in the great lakes state, Larkin’s journey would be a dream wrapped in gold. For Larkin apparently, it’s become a nightmare.
The Trade Request That Became a Standoff
Larkin demanded a trade from the Red Wings, and he’s no longer playing nice. He requested a release from the Wings in early June of this year, initially providing the team with a list of three places he’s willing to go. Larkin, like other superstars, has a No Trade Clause (NTC) with the team. This means that Larkin and his representatives get to approve or deny any trade that the Wings bring him.
On Sept. 11th, the Red Wings announced Larkin would no longer be the teams’ captain, a role he’s held since 2021. On October 20th, 2026, he expanded the list to ten teams. Nine days later, and right before a matchup against the Blackhawks, Larkin informed the Red Wing’s that he was no longer going to play for Detroit anymore. “All I can say is that [he’s] had enough of the situation”, said agent Pat Brisson to the Detroit Free Press on the afternoon of the 29th. An absolute shocker to most, but not out of the ordinary for this season! We saw a somewhat similar situation play out with Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets, which reached a timely conclusion on Oct. 23rd of this year. Since Larkin’s refusal to play for the Wings or even show up to a practice, he has forfeited over $150,000.00 in contractual pay.
Is Larkin in Breach of Contract?
The short answer is, it depends. Per the NHL’s Standard Player’s Contract in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), when a player refuses to participate in team activities like practices or games, it can be considered a material breach of their contract. The CBA further states that when a player refuses to participate, their discipline is handled at the discretion of the team first. Teams don’t want to act too hastily with a diva superstar, so attempting to get the contract completely voided at the first act of bad faith isn’t always the best call. Instead, the team will find alternatives to make a player’s pocket hurt. This may come in the form of a fine or suspension without pay, as we see in Larkin’s case. Because Larkin is in breach, one would think it completely voids his contract and all his guaranteed money, but this isn’t quite the situation. The Red Wings must buy out his 8-year, $69.6 million dollar contract to get rid of him immediately. Instead, Detroit is more than willing to play hardball with the veteran center and hold out on buying his contract. The team must find a suitable trade offer with a limited list provided by the center. While the Wing’s wait and negotiate, Larkin is costing himself roughly $41,000/day.
A Standoff With No Easy Exit
Now that we know the niceties are gone, what does it mean for both sides of this prickly situation? Well, only time will tell. If the situation is any what similar to Hellebuyck, we can expect Larkin to continue to forfeit funds until a suitable trade is brought to him. The NTC in Larkin’s contract makes the process of finding a willing team much more difficult. The Wings cannot necessarily go to the ‘open market’ of teams and free agents in the NHL; they must specifically find Larkin a deal with his proposed teams, while also trying to balance their current roster. Just because Larkin wants out does not mean the Wings are planning a fire sale of their team. Like all deals and negotiations, nobody wants to walk away feeling like the loser. We can expect Larkin to sit as long as possible to find a new team, and the hearts of Detroit fans will remain sour.
