Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade from Detroit, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Sportsnet was the first to report the news, which should send shock waves across the NHL ahead of the summer draft and free agency period.
Larkin has a full no trade clause in his contract through next season, meaning he will have control over his destination.
Larkin, 29, grew up in Michigan a big Red Wings fan and played his entire career in the state after developing through the U.S. National Team Development Program and the University of Michigan.
Sources told ESPN that issues between Larkin and Detroit management have been brewing a while, dating back at least to testy contract negotiations in 2023. Additionally, the Red Wings playoff drought has extended to 10 seasons - the longest in franchise history. That follows a historic 25-year playoff run for the Original Six franchise.
Larkin is in the middle of a long-term contract that pays him $8.7 million annually and runs through the 2030-31 season. The center, who played a key lockdown role for Team USA in winning gold at the 2026 Olympics, will be highly coveted across the league, especially in a summer when there are very few high-profile free agents.
Larkin has been a consistent offensive contributor -- scoring at least 30 goals and 67 points in each of the last five seasons -- while emerging as one of the best defensive forwards and penalty killers in the league. However, he has played a full 82 games only twice in his career due to injuries. He has scored 276 goals and 643 points in 808 games across 11 seasons after debuting in Detroit as a teenager.
The 2025-26 season featured another late-season collapse for Detroit. As late as Jan. 24, the Red Wings were tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-point cushion for a playoff spot.
Larkin was publicly critical of management the previous season for the team's inactivity at the 2025 trade deadline, not adding reinforcements to boost morale for a playoff push. GM Steve Yzerman, a franchise legend, had dismissed rumors about a rift between the two following those comments.
Yzerman made a big splash in net last summer, trading for goalie John Gibson, and did add at the 2026 deadline, bringing in defenseman Justin Faulk as well as forward David Perron.