Dylan Larkin Burns Goodwill With Red Wings Fans Weeks After Winning Back Some Favor

When making an appearance on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast this past week, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman explained that Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin wanted to leave things on the right note with his hometown team. 

Larkin appeared to be public enemy number one during the home opener, when he sat on the bench undressed as the team introduced its lineup and the Detroit crowd rained boos down on the former captain.

It made sense, based on what Friedman said, as Larkin returned to the lineup on October 6, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a win over the Ottawa Senators. He played the way a captain should, with heart, sticking up for teammates and acting as the team's motor, with minutes on both special teams units.

He earned some respect back, to the point where the crowd offered more cheers than boos when he came back out as the game's first star. However, that has all changed as just ten games into his season, as Larkin appears to have lost everything he gained.

On Thursday, Larkin's agent announced that the 30-year-old would not play another game for the Red Wings, citing how long the process of finding a trade has taken. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff promptly suspended Larkin without pay.

Parts of the hockey world had fun at the expense of former Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, counting the money he lost while serving his own suspension. Now fans have turned their attention to Larkin, creating a website called "Larkin's Losses" that tracks how much money he is losing. 

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On Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit fans made their feelings clear with colorful chants aimed at Larkin, even though he was not in the lineup.

As in the Hellebuyck situation, the Red Wings could take their time and wait for the best offer to appear. The longer Larkin sits out, the more his value as a player could fall, and the harder a return to game action becomes.

Trade talks reportedly picked up on Thursday with the Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes, who are all on Larkin's trade list, reaching out and expressing interest. Others not on the list, including the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues, have reportedly expressed interest if he eventually adds them. 

Teams on his list that are reportedly not interested, or that once were but no longer are, include the Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Mammoth and the Washington Capitals.

It appears to be an unfortunate end to the Dylan Larkin saga as it appeared to be potentially ending on a positive note with his return to the lineup, however he quickly soured his stance with Red Wings fans once again and will make for a memorable night when he makes his eventual return to Little Caesars Arena.

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