Dylan Larkin No Longer Captain Of Detroit Red Wings

Larkin himself confirmed that he will attend training camp when it begins next week, adding that he had several “in-depth” discussions with Red Wings leadership over the last few weeks and “appreciated” the “candid conversations” that were had. He did not address the decision to end his tenure as captain directly.

The move to strip Larkin of a captaincy he has held since 2020 does not come as a major surprise.

Larkin made waves earlier this summer when he requested to be traded away from the Red Wings, the only team he’s ever known in an NHL career that spans over 800 games.

Long-simmering tensions between Larkin and GM Steve Yzerman seemed to lead to a complete fracture in the relationship between Larkin and the club, resulting in the player’s firm desire to play elsewhere. Yzerman himself lost his spot atop the team’s hockey operations department earlier this summer as well.

The Red Wings are an organization undergoing significant organizational change, and the decision to move ahead without Larkin as captain only contributes to the feeling of instability attributed to the franchise. But even if it doesn’t help the outside perception that the Red Wings are in a bit of a chaotic period, the move is still an entirely defensible one.

Larkin does not want to be a Red Wing anymore, but until a trade can be completed, he’ll need to remain on the roster and participate as a normal player would. To keep him as captain would be inappropriate given the circumstances. This decision allows the Red Wings to shift their focus onto the players who have committed to – or in the case of pending UFA Alex DeBrincat – wish to commit to a long-term future in Detroit.

As for who might take up Larkin’s mantle as captain of the Red Wings, there are a few candidates that stick out. It should be noted that Detroit went two seasons without a captain in between the tenure of Henrik Zetterberg and Larkin, so the franchise is not averse to patience when it comes to selecting its new on-ice leader.

But such a wait may not be necessary this time around. The team has several viable candidates, such as star defenseman Moritz Seider. The team’s other alternate captain, star winger Lucas Raymond, figures to also contend for the role. The other logical candidate is DeBrincat, though that is almost certainly contingent on the player inking a long-term extension to remain with the club.

Despite this announcement, Red Wings fans may be in store for a bit of a wait until Larkin’s departure from the team is finalized. Detroit won’t agree to a Larkin deal without its hockey operations leadership firmly in place, and even when a new GM arrives, reaching an extension with RFA blueliner Simon Edvinsson may become the first priority.

But even if a trade isn’t immediate, the decision to strip the captaincy from the veteran center does make one thing clear: Larkin’s days in Detroit are numbered.