Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin was suspended without pay on October 29, 2026, after informing the team he no longer wanted to play for the organization. The suspension costs Larkin $41,000 daily as interim general manager Shawn Horcoff evaluates a trade market constrained by a limited list of preferred destinations.
Shawn Horcoff and the Red Wings Suspend Dylan Larkin Without Pay
The standoff between the Detroit Red Wings and their former captain reached a definitive breaking point when interim general manager Shawn Horcoff received a morning call from agent Pat Brisson. Larkin decided to stay away from Little Caesars Arena, informing club management that his trade request from June remained unresolved and he was finished playing for the franchise. The team responded by placing the 30-year-old center on suspension without pay, a penalty that strips him of roughly $41,237 per day in salary during his absence.
There were talks in the the last 24 hours between Larkin's camp and the Red Wings, both last night and again this morning, and what was communicated from the agents to Detroit was that Larkin feels he's given the team ample time since his trade request in May to get a deal done.…
Horcoff noted that trade talks are ongoing and that he has worked extensively and exhaustively with Larkin’s agency to find a solution. The Michigan native, who spent his entire career with the club that drafted him 15th overall in the first round in 2014 after a freshman season at the University of Michigan, had already requested a trade in June.
The friction had been visible since the season began. He returned to the lineup on October 6, recording a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win against the Ottawa Senators, and has posted two goals and six points through 10 games this season.
Dylan Larkin is done playing for the Red Wings pic.twitter.com/yV1BftzLev
To put it simply, we received a call from Dylan’s agent today saying that Dylan wasn’t coming to the rink today and no longer wanted to be part of the Red Wings.
Shawn Horcoff, interim general manager
Minnesota Wild Pursuit Faces Cap and Asset Hurdles
While trade discussions remain active, the mechanics of a deal are complicated by the player’s contract and amended list of preferred trade partners. Larkin was born on July 30, 1996, in Waterford, Michigan, and carries an $8 million salary this season. Minnesota has long coveted him as a missing piece, and the Wild have sent multiple offers to Detroit.
Yet talks have stalled over valuation. Daily Faceoff reported that Red Wings management has been viewed as unrealistic in their demands, while Minnesota executives have shown reluctance to overpay given Larkin’s modest start of two goals and six points through his first 10 games. Proposed packages involving center Danila Yurov, winger Yakov Trenin, prospect Charlie Stramel, and two first-round selections have been part of discussions, while the Philadelphia Flyers have been cited as a potential third-party broker to help facilitate a deal and navigate salary cap complications that add $4.228 million to Minnesota’s payroll.
Detroit Locker Room Move Past the Drama
The situation has cast a shadow over the club’s daily preparations.
This has been going on for too long and that’s all we’ve ever talked about.
Shawn Horcoff, interim general manager
Horcoff reiterated that he is prepared to wait as long as necessary to secure a fair return for a franchise pillar, balancing responsibility to the 22 other players in the locker room, the coaching staff, management, and the fans. With no strict timeline for a resolution and a frozen market among his preferred destinations, Larkin sits away from the team while both sides dig in for a protracted impasse.
Larkin's absence sparks trade speculation pic.twitter.com/bbB3sym503
More on Dylan Larkin
"No team has tried more to trade for Larkin than the Wild."@PierreVLeBrun says the Wild have been all in on Dylan Larkin 👀#MNWild pic.twitter.com/ve1NgXsMhi
Statement from Pat Brisson, agent for Dylan Larkin, regarding his client deciding not to play while awaiting a trade:“Dylan’s had enough of the situation. We believe he’s been very professional and cooperative through this process.”
It’s possible the Red Wings suspend Larkin. If that’s the case, and a trade isn’t imminently made, Larkin would forfeit $41,237.11 each day. https://t.co/gIVeVYtLjN
The Wild want Dylan Larkin badly. But do they have the assets to get him?https://t.co/2lCkln8h4I
NEW Rumblings for @TheAthletic, Breaking down Dylan Larkin’s 10-team list, plus latest on Jason Robertson and Simon Edvinsson. Free to read ⤵️https://t.co/xavsjRCqlA
As we wait for Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff to address the media, here's a quick piece on the situation as it nears the finish line with only a few teams still in the race https://t.co/bxjByAl16r