Dylan Larkin to Miss Start of Training Camp Following Stripping of Red Wings Captaincy Due to Injury

Dylan Larkin will not skate to begin training camp with the Detroit Red Wings due to sustaining an upper-body injury.

Detroit Red Wings Dylan Larkin Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After being stripped of the coveted "C" on his chest, Dylan Larkin will not be seen skating on the ice to start training camp with the Detroit Red Wings due to an upper-body injury.

Per reports, the upper-body injury was sustained during off-ice training earlier this week — and Larkin will be with the Red Wings rehabbing throughout camp. This latest development comes as Larkin had previously requested a trade away from Detroit.

While a trade has not yet come to fruition with Larkin's short list of preferred teams (Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars), Red Wings Interim General Manager Shawn Horcoff did provide clarity in that the Red Wings have hopes of Larkin returning during the preseason.

"At some point, when he starts feeling better, of course we're going to integrate him into on-ice sessions, and he'll be back and skating with the team," Horcoff said per NHL.com. "But there's no timeline for that right now ... It's going to take him a little bit of time to get back from it, and when we have a better timeline of when he will be back and available, we'll let everybody know."

Larkin's upper-body injury and trade request come as the center has five years remaining on the eight-year, $69.6 million contract — featuring an $8.7 million AAV.

Larkin Out With Upper-Body Injury

The announcement of Larkin's offseason injury came on Sept. 16; Detroit's camp will run from Sept. 17 through Sept. 20.

Larkin's trade request came after Detroit missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season and follows Larkin assisting Team USA in winning gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The former captain currently sits with 643 points, including 276 goals and 367 assists throughout his NHL career.

The forward also played a kill role on the penalty kill in Milano Cortina and tallied three points.

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

The forward has a storied history with the sport of hockey throughout the state of Michigan; after having skated with the University of Michigan Wolverines as a Michigan native, Larkin was drafted by Detroit with the No. 15 overall pick in 2014.

He was originally named the 37th captain in Red Wings history and succeeded Henrik Zetterberg.

Larkin posted 67 points for Detroit in the 2025-26 NHL season, featuring a career-high 34 goals.

Horcoff would reiterate that ongoing potential trade discussions will be kept private between Detroit and Larkin's camp.

"I want to reiterate that we're going to keep those conversations private between Dylan and the organization," Horcoff also said at the Sept. 16 press conference. "There was a lot that kind of went into that, and we've had good discussions with Dylan. We're happy that he's here in camp. He has the full support of us, and we look forward to getting him healthy and back on the ice."

Larkin was originally awarded the captaincy — which has now been stripped from him following his trade request — in 2021.

The Red Wings open their preseason on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 21.