Red Wings strip Dylan Larkin’s captaincy ahead of training camp

The Detroit Red Wings will start the 2026-27 season without a captain.

In a statement released Friday, the team announced that forward Dylan Larkin, who requested a trade from the Red Wings last June, has been stripped of the captaincy. The statement added that any decision on who will wear the “C” will be made once Detroit hires new leadership for their hockey operations department.

The Red Wings also revealed that Larkin will report to training camp later this month.

“We look forward to seeing Dylan and the rest of his teammates at Little Caesars Arena for the start of training camp as we prepare for the upcoming season,” the statement read.

On Larkin’s trade request, the team said he is under contract and any conversations regarding his future with Detroit will be private.

“As such, we will not comment any further on this matter,” the statement read.

‘Keep those conversations private’: Larkin

Larkin, who served as captain since 2020-21, also released a statement through the club:

“Over the past couple of weeks, Red Wings leadership and I have had several in-depth discussions,” Larkin said. “I’ve appreciated those candid conversations, and I will be at training camp with my teammates. When new leadership is in place, we’ll talk further about the direction of the team. We will keep those conversations private, and I will keep my focus on the season ahead and on the guys in that room.”

Larkin, 30, is under contract with Detroit through the 2030-31 season with a cap hit of $8.7 million. He reportedly gave the Red Wings a list of three teams he would accept a trade to: the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.

His full no-trade clause runs through the 2027-28 season, then expands to a 10-team list.

In 2025-26, Larkin scored 34 goals and added 33 assists for 67 points. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season.