As the fallout of the reported trade request by Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin continues to grow, it's not the first time that GM Steve Yzerman has dealt with this kind of situation.
As the fallout continues from the explosive report that surfaced on Thursday that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin allegedly requested a trade to a new location, speculation continues to grow about if and when a potential move could take place.
One of the most rigidly private executives in professional sports, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman holds his cards close to the vest. And to this point, neither he nor Larkin (or his representation) have publicly commented on the alleged trade request.
If a trade ultimately takes place, it would be an example of history repeating itself with Yzerman, who previously served as GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The scene shifts back to 2014 when Yzerman, who was also the executive director of Team Canada for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, did not include Lightning captain Martin St. Louis on the Canadian roster.
This fractured the relationship between the two sides, prompting St. Louis to request a trade out of town. He was eventually dealt to the New York Rangers in exchange for Ryan Callahan, who was New York's captain.
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While the situations are different, this would not be the first time that Yzerman has dealt with a trade request from the face of the franchise that he runs.
Right now, the Red Wings are mired in the NHL's longest active postseason drought at 10 years and counting; it's also the longest drought in team history.
In each of the last three seasons, the Red Wings have seen what was a comfortable points cushion entering the month of March dry up owing to woefully inconsistent play.
It also didn't help that in both 2024 and this season, Larkin suffered an injury at an extremely inopportune time, causing him to miss several games.
He's coming off a career-high 34 goals scored in 2025-26, though his 5-on-5 scoring saw a significant dropoff. He also registered a single point at even strength during a critical 10-game stretch while Detroit was fighting for their playoff lives.
It remains to be seen if and when the Red Wings will move on from Larkin. But it's not the first time that Yzerman has dealt with the uncomfortable situation of his club's captain requesting a trade out of town.
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