Story Summary
Detroit Red Wings owner Chris Ilitch said Dylan Larkin “could be here all year”, leaving open the possibility that the forward remains with the club despite requesting a trade after last season. The team has said Larkin will report to training camp and will begin the season without a captain. On July 15, the Red Wings moved general manager Steve Yzerman into a senior-adviser role to Ilitch, while Shawn Horcoff has been named interim GM during the search for a new president of hockey operations. Ilitch said the new hire will determine future captaincy and staff structure, while discussions about Larkin will remain private. He also identified contracts for restricted free-agent defenceman Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, as immediate priorities.
Key Facts
- Chris Ilitch, owner of the Detroit Red Wings, said Dylan Larkin “could be here all year”.
- Dylan Larkin requested a trade after the Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th straight season.
- The Red Wings announced that Larkin would report to training camp but that the team would begin the season without a captain.
- On July 15 the club announced that general manager Steve Yzerman would become a senior adviser to Chris Ilitch.
- The Red Wings announced Shawn Horcoff will serve as interim general manager until they find their next leader of hockey operations.
- Ilitch said the franchise is looking for ” an innovative difference-maker who can build a championship-caliber organisation” and that the new president of hockey operations will determine future captaincy and staff status, including coach Todd McLellan.
- Ilitch said day-to-day business will be handled by interim GM Shawn Horcoff.
- Ilitch identified contracts for defenceman Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent, and forward Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, as among the club’s most pressing matters.
- Ilitch said Larkin is under contract, will return to camp to play for Detroit this year, and that discussions about the forward’s interests will remain private between the player and the front office.
- The Red Wings take the ice for training camp on the Thursday following Ilitch’s interview.
IHM Discussion
Chris Ilitch’s comments establish a clear public position: Dylan Larkin remains under contract and is expected to take part in Detroit’s training camp. Ilitch acknowledged Larkin’s trade request but also left open the possibility that no move will happen this season, saying the forward “could be here all year”.
Detroit is also in a period of front-office transition. Steve Yzerman has moved into a senior-adviser role, with Shawn Horcoff serving as interim GM while the club searches for a president of hockey operations. Ilitch said that hire will determine future captaincy and the status of the staff, including coach Todd McLellan.
For now, Larkin is due at camp and remains part of the club’s plans. Beyond that, Ilitch said conversations about the player’s future will remain private between Larkin and the front office.
Why It Matters
Larkin has been Detroit’s No. 1 centre and captain, so his availability and role carry obvious importance for the club’s leadership group and centre depth. His trade request also arrives as Detroit searches for a new hockey operations leader and works through contracts for Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat.
Ilitch said the incoming president of hockey operations will determine future captaincy and the status of the coaching staff. Until that appointment is made, Horcoff will handle day-to-day business as interim GM.
IHM Market Outlook
Larkin’s trade request remains unresolved, but Ilitch said the forward could remain with Detroit for the full season. The club is also facing contract decisions involving restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Detroit’s front-office search remains a key backdrop. Ilitch said the eventual president of hockey operations will determine future captaincy and staff status.
Mini Q&A
Has Dylan Larkin asked to be traded?
Yes.
Will Larkin be in Detroit this season?
Ilitch said Larkin “could be here all year”, and the club announced that he will report to training camp. His longer-term status remains unresolved.
Was Larkin stripped of the captaincy?
The team announced it would begin the season without a captain and that Larkin would report to training camp; the source treats that change as a removal of captaincy ahead of camp.
Who is running the Red Wings’ hockey operations right now?
On July 15 the Red Wings moved Steve Yzerman to a senior-adviser role to Chris Ilitch, and the club announced Shawn Horcoff will serve as interim general manager until they find their next president of hockey operations.
What are the club’s immediate roster or contract priorities?
Ilitch identified contracts for defenceman Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent, and forward Alex DeBrincat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, as among the most pressing matters.
Coach Mark Comment
Detroit’s staff must keep camp focused on daily standards while Larkin’s future remains unresolved. Clear communication around roles and a consistent routine can help the group manage the uncertainty as the club begins the season without a captain.
What Comes Next
The immediate, source-stated checkpoint is Detroit’s training camp: the Red Wings will take the ice for training camp on the Thursday following Ilitch’s interview. Additionally, the organisation’s search for a president of hockey operations – the person Ilitch says will determine captaincy and staff status – remains ongoing and is the next structural milestone referenced.
IHM Final View
Ilitch’s comments do not resolve Larkin’s trade request, but they make clear that Detroit is prepared for the forward to remain with the club through the season. The immediate focus is training camp, the front-office search and contract matters involving Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat.