Dylan Larkin Has Become a Punchline for Frustrated Red Wings Fans

If Dylan Larkin thought things couldn't get any worse, he'd be wrong — after refusing to play for the Detroit Red Wings, he has now gone viral on TikTok.

Various TikToks, including three making Larkin the absolute butt of the joke, have gone viral to the tune of around 81,200 likes and climbing. Larkinlosses.com has also been launched; the website tabulates how much salary Larkin has forfeited since the Red Wings stopped paying him. So far, Larkin has already lost more than $350,000.

Larkin going viral on TikTok for all the wrong reasons comes after it was announced on Oct. 29 that Detroit suspended him without pay. The center will forfeit over $41,000 a day.

This development comes after Larkin's agent, Pat Brisson, stated that Larkin has had enough of the ongoing situation with the Red Wings while awaiting a trade following his initial request in May. Thus, it was Larkin's camp that made the decision for him to no longer suit up for Detroit, despite initial speculation that the 30-year-old could have simply been held out of the lineup for protection until a trade was completed.

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Almost all jokes surrounding Larkin's current situation mention that he ultimately had five years remaining on the eight-year, $69.9 million contract he signed with Detroit on March 1, 2023, at the time of his trade request, which remains the case.

A Brief Summary of Dylan Larkin’s Deep (But Fleeing) History With Hockey Across Michigan

Red Wings Interim General Manager Shawn Horcoff and Detroit put out a statement informing the public that they were not in agreement with Larkin's decision.

"Dylan Larkin has informed us that he will no longer play for the Detroit Red Wings. We are disappointed by his decision, particularly given his obligations to the organization and his teammates. We have therefore suspended Dylan without pay," Horcoff said in the referenced statement.

"We will continue to explore trade opportunities involving Dylan. In addition to needing his approval, any trade must also be in the best interests of the Detroit Red Wings and support the organization's long-term goals."

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— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 29, 2026

Jokes also point out that Larkin's rumored trade list consists of only the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Utah, Mammoth, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, and Colorado Avalanche.

Sources have reported that the Devils, Capitals, Wild and Hurricanes had all engaged in trade talks with Larkin during the week of Oct. 26. Though there is speculation that the Montreal Canadiens could also be potentially in the running.

This all comes as Larkin is a Michigan native.

Larkin hails from Watertown and also played for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was drafted by the Red Wings at No. 15 overall in 2014 and was previously named the 37th captain in Detroit history, but has since been stripped of the coveted "C" after his initial offseason request was leaked.

It is currently unknown exactly how long the process of Larkin landing somewhere will take, which comes as he loses exactly 48 cents every second.

Larkin's demand to switch NHL teams comes after he posted three points in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics for Team USA as they won a gold medal. The Michigan native logged 649 points for the Red Wings during his career in Detroit — including 278 goals and 371 assists.

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