Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin missed the team’s opening games and was placed on injured reserve following an offseason trade request and loss of captaincy, drawing boos from home fans at Little Caesars Arena during player introductions ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season.
Upper-Body Injury Sidelines Larkin for Opening Games
The Detroit Red Wings began their 2026-27 NHL regular season without their No. 1 center as Dylan Larkin was sidelined by an upper-body injury sustained during offseason training away from the ice. The injury kept him out of the entire preseason schedule and forced the club to place him on injured reserve retroactive to August 15, ruling him out for at least the first two games against the New York Rangers and the Winnipeg Jets.
Head coach Todd McLellan confirmed the timeline ahead of the opener, noting that the forward has been working closely with the training staff to recover. While Larkin returned to practice in a limited capacity, the team targeted a potential return for the third game of the schedule against the Ottawa Senators.
Trade Request and Pre-Game Boos at Little Caesars Arena
Dylan Larkin watched from the bench in street clothes alongside his scratched teammates during pre-game player introductions before the season opener against the New York Rangers. When his name was announced inside Little Caesars Arena, a section of the home crowd responded with loud boos.
The hostile reception stemmed from an unresolved offseason trade request. After spending his entire career in Detroit following his selection 15th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, Larkin asked the club for a trade. The organization subsequently stripped him of the captaincy he had held since 2021, entering the new campaign with a vacant captain’s role.
“Obviously, he’s got to live with the ramifications of asking for a trade. It’s not comfortable for anybody. I feel bad for him, I do.”
Todd McLellan, Detroit Red Wings head coach
McLellan defended Larkin’s decision to stand with the group during the ceremony, explaining that the veteran center wanted to support his teammates rather than stay in the locker room. Defenseman Moritz Seider addressed the crowd’s reaction after the game, noting that the roster understood the feelings in the stands and handled the environment professionally.
Interim Manager Horcoff Faces Roster and Contract Challenges
The franchise faces internal changes alongside the Larkin standoff. Former general manager Steve Yzerman stepped down following the trade request, and Shawn Horcoff took over on an interim basis just before training camp. Horcoff faces multiple pressing roster challenges, including negotiations with restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson—who traveled to Sweden while awaiting a new deal—and extension talks for local winger Alex DeBrincat.
Larkin remains under contract through the 2030-31 season on an eight-year, $69.6 million deal carrying an $8.7 million annual average value, featuring a full no-trade clause. While reports indicate he initially provided a preferred list of destinations including the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Vegas Golden Knights, that list has since expanded to around eight teams, though no trade is currently considered imminent.
