Dylan Larkin's name is back in trade rumors, and the Detroit Red Wings aren't budging yet.
Insider Chris Johnston reported on his show that the expectation right now is Larkin isn't moving anytime soon.
That's a notable line given how loud the speculation around him has gotten heading into this season.
Larkin requested a trade, and that's not a small thing for a franchise still trying to climb out of a long playoff drought.
But wanting out and actually getting moved are two very different things, and Sunday's report suggests Detroit isn't in any rush to grant that wish.
Shawn Horcoff runs this front office, and he's never been the type to fold under public pressure.
McLellan's group opens preseason without a resolution
Todd McLellan is behind the bench for Detroit, and he's got a group to get ready with this situation still hanging over the room.
The Red Wings are set for preseason action Monday against Columbus, and Larkin has not featured in exhibition games yet this preseason.
Whether that's timing, roster management, or something tied to the trade situation isn't something the available information makes clear.
What is clear is that the clock is ticking toward puck drop on the regular season, and Detroit opens at home against the Rangers on October 2.
A trade request hanging over a locker room right up until opening night is not exactly the kind of clarity a coach wants walking into a new year.
Yzerman has built this roster piece by piece over years, and Horcoff letting his most prominent asset walk for anything short of a real return would be malpractice.
That's the tension here. Detroit wants value, Larkin wants out, and neither side seems ready to blink first.
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For now, the Red Wings' message is patience. Whether that holds once the games start counting is the real story still to come.
Should the Red Wings trade Dylan Larkin before the season starts?
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