"Disappointed" Red Wings Officially Suspend Dylan Larkin Without Pay

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The Dylan Larkin era with the Detroit Red Wings appears to have reached an end. 

On a day that has already been filled with multiple storylines involving the former Red Wings captain, it's now come to a head with the official announcement by the club that he's been suspended without pay. 

Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff released a statement Thursday afternoon providing an update on the Larkin drama that has overshadowed the organization for the last several months.

"Dylan Larkin has informed us that he will no longer play for the Detroit Red Wings. We are disappointed by his decision, particularly given his obligations to the organization and his teammates," Horcoff's statement read. "We have therefore suspended Dylan without pay."

The statement continued: 

"We will continue to explore trade opportunities involving Dylan. In addition to needing his approval, any trade must also be in the best interests of the Detroit Red Wings and support the organization’s long-term goals. I want to thank and commend our coaches and players for their continued focus, and being committed to competing every day." 

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Hours earlier, Larkin's agent, Pat Brisson, released a statement through NHL insider Pierre LeBrun stating that his client had “had enough” of the situation.

The 10th-leading scorer in Red Wings history, Larkin requested a trade following last season. However, neither former GM Steve Yzerman nor interim GM Shawn Horcoff received what they felt would be an acceptable return for the Michigan-born forward, who has scored at least 30 goals in each of the last five seasons. 

When asked at the start of Training Camp in mid-September if his trade request was still valid, he declined to answer, saying the details may never fully be revealed. 

“There’s a lot there, a lot of personal stuff," he said. "To be honest, and I'm going to try and be honest - I’m not ready to go there yet.

“I understand that there are answers that fans and people who care about this organization around the world want to know, but I’m really not ready to go there - and it’s maybe something that I’ll never be," he continued. "It wasn’t easy to get to that decision; it was very hard. It wasn’t spur-of-the-moment; I don’t take what I did lightly.”

He is under contract through 2031 with a $8.7 million salary cap hit. 

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