Dylan Larkin and Shawn Horcoff speak with the Red Wings’ media corps, reveal absolutely nothing

Updated 8x at 1:27 PM: Here’s 12:41 of an uncomfortable press conference (if you want a shorter version, the Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a 6:57 clip):

Update #4: Here’s the Free Press’s Helene St. James in text form:

Asked what triggered the request, Larkin said that, “There’s a lot there. A lot of personal stuff. To be honest with you − I’m going to try and be honest with you guys today. And that’s as far as I’ll go on that.

“I understand that there’s answers that fans and people that care about this organization around the world want to know. But I’m really not ready to go there. It’s maybe something that I may never be. And it wasn’t easy to get to that decision. It was very hard. It wasn’t a spur of the moment thing. I don’t take what I did lightly. I got to that point and, you know, I’m not quite ready to talk about it.”

Larkin did not take the ice with teammates on the first day of camp, as he is rehabbing an upper-body injury sustained while training.

Asked if the request still stands, Larkin said he wanted to keep that between him and the organization. As for his teammates, Larkin said: “I have spoken to them. And I spoke honestly. You know, they deserve that. I would say to you guys that it was not because of them. And that’s as far as I’ll go on that. I’ve tried to give them space to let it sink in. I wish so bad that I could be on the ice.”

In regards to losing the captaincy, Larkin said: “It was discussed with the organization. I understand it. I asked for a trade from the Detroit Red Wings as the captain. Actions have consequences. I understand why that decision was made. I’m going to be professional about it.”

Another update: From MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Larkin said he’s speaking because fans deserve answers.

“I don’t want this distraction,” Larkin said. “I don’t want one of my teammates to have to answer before you hear from me. I’m trying to be professional about it. I’m excited to get back on the ice and earn my teammates’ trust back on the ice where I believe it matters the most.I’m here right now and my focus right now is on the upcoming season with the Detroit Red Wings.”

How will fans react when he takes the ice?

“They’re passionate fans. There’s frustration there. I’m frustrated as well,” Larkin said. “I just hope that, you know, there’s 22 other guys in the room and they know it’s about them, not about one guy.”

He said of being stripped of the captaincy:

“It was discussed with Shawn (interim GM Horcoff) and the organization and I understand it,” Larkin said. “I asked for a trade from the Detroit Red Wings as the captain and actions have consequences. I understand why that decision was made. I’m going to be a professional about it.”

Another another update: From the AP’s Larry Lage:

The Red Wings said on the eve of camp that Larkin would not skate in the first practice because of an upper-body injury.

“I got hurt in the gym working out,” he said. “I’m pushing to get healthy. I want to be out there. It was very unfortunate timing.

“I wish I could show with my actions to build trust with my teammates again and with the fans.”

Another another another update: Here’s the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

Larkin talked to the media Thursday, Sept. 17, on the first day of training camp. But he wasn’t on the ice, given an upper-body injury he suffered earlier this week while training.

“There’s a lot of personal stuff,” said Larkin of his decision to ask for a trade. “To be honest with you, I’m not ready to go there yet. I understand there are answers that fans want to know, but I’m not ready to go there, and it’s something that I may never be. It wasn’t easy to get to that decision.”

Larkin wouldn’t be specific about a reconciliation between himself and the organization.

“I’m going to keep that between (interim general manager) Shawn (Horcoff) and myself,” Larkin said. “The request was not meant to get out and it did and we’re here today. I’ve learned from my experience, and I’m really just keeping it to myself.”

And here’s The Athletic’s Max Bultman, unlocked:

Speaking at a lectern next to newly named interim general manager Shawn Horcoff, Larkin declined to say whether the request still stood, echoing Horcoff’s comments from a day earlier by saying he would keep that between himself and the organization.

Larkin said he has spoken to his teammates and that the request “was not because of them.”

“I’ve tried to give them space to let it sink in, and I wish so badly I could be on the ice because that’s where the actions will follow the talking,” Larkin said. “But (the request was) not because of them. So I have spoken to them and given them space to let it sink in.”

Larkin did characterize the interactions by saying: “I think it was positive. I think addressing it in front of them, being honest in front of them is all I can really do. I think the collective feeling was, ‘Let’s move on and focus on the season coming up, and the great storylines that come out of camp.’ … I felt it was positive.”

Then there’s this:

On the subject of his trade list — Larkin holds a full no-trade clause, and there have been reports of a three-team list he would be willing to waive it for — Larkin dismissed those reports: “I stopped reading because they weren’t true, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.”

Asked if there was any chance of a reconciliation, Larkin again said he would keep that between himself and Horcoff, adding the request was not meant to become public.

On the subject of former general manager Steve Yzerman — with whom Larkin had publicly clashed two seasons ago over the Red Wings’ lack of action at the 2025 trade deadline — Larkin said he has “nothing but respect for Steve. … In any organization, competitive people are going to have differences. And I think that’s what makes him great. He’s a competitive person and he pushes for success, and I respect that a ton. I’ve learned a ton from him in terms of leadership, and I thank him for that time.”

Original post content: From the Red Wings’ beat writers and NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika:

Published by

George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *