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Dylan Larkin will miss the Red Wings’ first two games; did he catch a break?

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NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika posted a report about Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin’s unavailability for the first two games of Detroit’s regular season…

Dylan Larkin is out for the Detroit Red Wings’ first two games of the season due to an upper-body injury, coach Todd McLellan said Thursday.

The Red Wings hope he will return against the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday after missing the season opener against the New York Rangers on Friday (6:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1) and another home game against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

“He’s working with the training staff to push through,” McLellan said. “I’m hoping Game 3.”

Larkin, Detroit’s No. 1 center, requested a trade after last season and lost the captaincy entering this season, but he reported to training camp. He could not participate at first due to an upper-body injury sustained in offseason training.

“I got hurt in the gym working out, and I’m pushing to get healthy, and I want to be out there,” Larkin said Sept. 17, the first day of camp. “This is very unfortunate timing. I wish I could show with my actions how to build trust with my teammates again.”

Larkin went through some drills but did not take line rushes in practice Thursday.

And the Free Press’s Helene St. James wondered aloud whether Larkin might be skirting the pressure of dealing with player introductions during the home opener:

All players are usually introduced as part of opening night traditions, with injured players and healthy scratches coming out on the bench rather than the ice. But given the controversy surrounding Larkin after he asked the team to trade him, that could be courting a spirited reaction from fans.

Teammates would just like to have him in their lineup again.

“We need him as a player, and I think that’s what matters the most,” Moritz Seider said. “There will be questions along the way, but I think that’s between him and management, nothing really we can control, And then looking from the teammate and friend perspective, obviously we want him here and he can really help our team, so the more comfortable he feels with the situation, the better we are.”

Videos: Red Wings’ Alex DeBrincat, Todd McLellan and Moritz Seider speak with the media after Thursday’s practice

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So the Red Wings practiced on Thursday ahead of Friday’s home opener against the New York Rangers (6:30 PM EDT start on TNT/97.1 FM), and Ben Chiarot missed practice, but is okay; Dylan Larkin has been ruled out for the first two games.

After practice, Alex DeBrincat and coach Todd McLellan spoke with the assembled media…

And the Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a 3:22 practice report in which Moritz Seider and Alex DeBrincat about shifting focus to playing in regular season games.

Update: Here’s St. James’ report in YouTube form:

Post-Thursday practice Tweets: Dylan Larkin out for first 2 games; Ben Chiarot OK

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The Red Wings held their final off-day practice ahead of tomorrow night’s season opener vs. the New York Rangers (6:30 PM EDT start on TNT/97.1 FM), and Dylan Larkin (upper-body injury), Ben Chiarot (?) and Simon Edvinsson (contractual issues) were absent from said practice.

After their skate, the Wings’ players and coach spoke with the media…

Casino.org’s Frank Seravalli discusses the Dylan Larkin situation

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Casino.org reached out to me this morning with some comments made by Frank Seravalli regarding the Red Wings’ situation with Dylan Larkin, as made in an article that Seravalli is working on presently.

Among the Seravalli’s remarks:

On the state of trade talks, an NHL GM told Seravall that Detroit have simply been “unrealistic” given the circumstances, stating; “they have essentially asked for a younger version of Dylan Larkin back. Even if someone had it, who is giving that up?”

Seravalli also revealed that another rival NHL GM interested in acquiring Larkin said the “Red Wings have refused to define what they are seeking in return in trade talks.”

On the uncertainty surrounding Larkin’s injury ahead of Detroit’s season opener, Seravalli said: “The Red Wings reiterated to me this week twice that Larkin has an injury. That hasn’t stopped other league sources from speculating. The longer Larkin sits out without transparency, the more eyebrows will be raised.

“If he is injured, would that hamper his quest for a trade? Perhaps. It depends on the severity; the Red Wings have not given a timeline for Larkin’s potential return to the lineup. Larkin has been well enough to participate in some parts of practice without much noted progress over the last two-plus weeks.”

Seravalli then added: “A working theory is that the Red Wings have placated Larkin’s desire to sit out, it is mutually beneficial to protect him from injury, and they are not contesting payment of his $8 million salary in an attempt to keep the situation amicable for now.”

Before one NHL executive told Seravalli: “I think it probably should be pointed out that Detroit is only clearing the salary cap floor by $1.6 million with Larkin on the books. Paying him for now works for everyone.”

Many thanks to Casino.org for reaching out.

’32 Thoughts,’ ‘Early Trading’ talk Edvinsson, Larkin and more

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This post is just going to be a summary as I’ve been doing bedpan duties over the past hour:

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discuss many topics over the course of today’s episode of 32 Thoughts, including a significant update on the Dylan Larkin situation at the 20-minute mark of the podcast…

And this just popped up:

Tweets from Thursday’s Red Wings practice: Ben Chiarot absent as Detroit prepares for Friday’s home opener

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The Detroit Red Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center ahead of tomorrow night’s home opener against the New York Rangers, minus a key contributor:

And in the “free advertising” department…

Continue reading Tweets from Thursday’s Red Wings practice: Ben Chiarot absent as Detroit prepares for Friday’s home opener →

Press release: Grand Rapids Griffins begin their 2026-2027 campaign tomorrow in Cleveland

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The Grand Rapids Griffins have posted their first weekly press release of the 2026-2027 season ahead of tomorrow’s season-opening game in Cleveland. Here’s the press release:

GRIFFINS BEGIN 31ST SEASON ON FRIDAY IN CLEVELAND

This Week’s Games

GRIFFINS at Cleveland Monsters // Fri., Oct. 2 // 7 p.m. // Rocket Arena

GRIFFINS at Cleveland Monsters // Sun., Oct. 4 // 3 p.m. // Rocket Arena

Listen:WOOD 106.9 FM & 1300 AM at 6:45 p.m. on Friday and at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday

Watch:AHLTV on FloHockey on Friday and Sunday

Season Series: First and second of eight meetings overall, first and second of four at Rocket Arena

All-Time Series: 83-44-9-14 Overall, 35-25-5-10 Road

NHL Affiliation: Columbus Blue Jackets

Noteworthy: Grand Rapids will begin the campaign on the road for the second straight season, which hasn’t happened since a run of three straight road season openers from 2018 to 2020.

31st Season of Hockey: The Grand Rapids Griffins begin the franchise’s 31st overall season of play, 26th as a member of the American Hockey League, and 25th as the primary affiliate of the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on Friday evening when they travel to the Cleveland Monsters. The Griffins have competed in 2,277 games between the IHL and AHL and have amassed a 1,196-834-27-90-130 regular-season record (.585), to go along with 20 playoff appearances, eight division titles and two Calder Cups (2017, 2013). 

Continue reading Press release: Grand Rapids Griffins begin their 2026-2027 campaign tomorrow in Cleveland →

Attempting to navigate tumultuous times in Detroit equals on-ice focus for the Red Wings

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Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff ponders whether the Red Wings can sell their fan base “hope” this upcoming season given the tumult surrounding the team. Red Wings coach Todd McLellan told Duff that all the team can do is attempt to produce a better on-ice product:

“I don’t know if it’s going to be different than any other year,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan told reporters. “We’re trying our darndest to change it. We’ve adjusted some things systematically. We want our guys to play harder and heavier, and have brought a couple of players in to do that.”

He knows what they must do to foster change.

“We’re going to have to spend less time in our zone,” McLellan said. “So that’s where that structural thing comes through. We’re going to have to spend more time in o-zone.”

He understands implementing a system and making it work are entirely different scenarios.

Continue reading Attempting to navigate tumultuous times in Detroit equals on-ice focus for the Red Wings →

Salary cap space complicates Dylan Larkin’s list of destinations

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Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson posted a “trade board” this morning, listing his top 15 candidates to be traded over the course of the upcoming season, and he does not mince words when it comes to Dylan Larkin’s fate and the complications surrounding actually trading the Red Wings forward:

2. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings

For the second straight month, Dylan Larkin sits at No. 2 on our Trade Block Big Board. The 30-year-old center requested a trade during the off-season, but his narrow list of trade destinations and the Detroit Red Wings’ ongoing search for a new general manager have hampered efforts to move him.

Larkin initially asked to be traded to the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and Vegas Golden Knights. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the veteran center expanded his list to eight teams. Friedman believes they included the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals, and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The problem is that none of those clubs have the salary cap space to take on Larkin’s $8.7 million average annual value through 2030-31. Most also lack suitable trade assets to meet the Red Wings’ high asking price, as they reportedly sought Matt Boldy from the Wild.

Unless the Red Wings lower their price, it could take weeks, perhaps months, before they finally move Larkin. That means he could remain a prime trade candidate for the foreseeable future.

Continued; it’s going to be a money-in-money-out trade if the Wings manage to earn an offer commensurate with Larkin’s value to the team.