Sportsnet’s Mike Amato offers “Sunday overreactions” this morning, discussing several topics which Amato feels are either overreactions to current news items, or accurate interpretations thereof. Amato suggests that the Red Wings and their fans could prepare for Dylan Larkin beginning the season with the team given his…complicated…trade request:
Dylan Larkin has played his last game for the Red Wings
The relationship between Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings is hanging by a thread. Larkin requested a trade out of Detroit in June and with nothing materializing on that front, the Red Wings stripped him of the captaincy heading into training camp. The veteran centre also hasn’t taken the ice yet with his teammates due to an upper-body injury suffered while training. Larkin has reportedly only given the Wings a few teams to which he’s willing to be dealt, so player and organization appear to be at a stalemate until things get sorted. It’s hard to see a scenario where Larkin ever puts on a Red Wings sweater ever again.
Overreaction? Yes
While it seems unlikely, it’s at least possible. If there’s any chance, it depends on the new general manager and if there’s any way they can mend the relationship with Larkin. It’s no secret that Larkin and Steve Yzerman weren’t on the best of terms, so maybe a new voice can settle things down and get Larkin to a place where he’s willing to play while he waits for a deal to be made.
If Larkin doesn’t want to expand his list of teams, it may take quite a while for a deal to take shape, and that means he’d have to sit at home waiting. That’s not going to help his trade value, and an interested team may be more willing to make a play for Larkin if they see him excelling on the ice. I’m not saying the Wings can smooth things over entirely with their former captain, but I do think there’s a world where he plays games in Detroit until a deal gets consummated.
Continued; I believe that Larkin will play some regular season games for Detroit at the very least as the mechanics of a trade are worked out.
Dude is so fragile mentally I’m not sure it will be in his best interest to play anymore games here. There’s also a big risk on the Wings part if he gets injured or doesn’t perform well and his trade value completely tanks. With clueless ownership and a temp GM, anything that could go wrong probably will. My expectations for this team going forward are bare minimum.