As his complex trade saga continues, the former Red Wings captain is scheduled to return to the lineup on Tuesday night.
On Friday night, at Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Red Wings began their 2026–27 season against the New York Rangers, but the highlight had nothing to do with goals or saves. The unmistakable hail of boos that fell on Dylan Larkin, the previous captain who sought a trade out of Detroit during the summer, was what caused the commotion instead.
Larkin missed Friday’s game after being ruled out for the first two regular-season games due to an upper-body injury that had kept him off the field throughout the preseason. However, it did not prevent the home audience from expressing their dissatisfaction.
Larkin, who had been out with an upper-body injury for the entire preseason and was declared ineligible for the first two games of the regular season, did not play in Friday’s game. The home crowd expressed their discontent despite this.
It is different now, however. Larkin is scheduled to rejoin the team for Tuesday’s game against the visiting Ottawa Senators, according to reporter Helene St. James. Since the hostile reception from the fanbase he formerly led, this will be his maiden appearance on the ice and his first game action of the season.
With 643 points, the 30-year-old center is tenth in club history after playing eleven seasons in Detroit. However, his connection with the metropolis dramatically shifted when his trade request was revealed over the summer, prompting the team to remove his captaincy.
Right from the beginning, the issue has been complex. Before broadening that list to eight organizations, Larkin apparently at first restricted his favorite locations to just four teams: Minnesota, Florida, Vegas, and Carolina. According to reports, every team on the enlarged list is located in the United States, which has further constrained the trade market.
Larkin has a full no-movement clause and five years remaining on the eight-year, $69.6 million contract he inked in 2023. According to reports, Detroit has lowered its asking price a little, but a few of the clubs that Larkin would accept a deal to are in difficult salary cap circumstances.
The game on Tuesday will provide an exciting examination of the atmosphere within Little Caesars Arena. The boos on Friday were loud and lengthy, a strong message from fans who believe they have been hurt by a player’s trade request, whom they formerly regarded as a franchise cornerstone.
We’ll have to wait and see if the reception warms up now that Larkin is actually playing on the ice. All eyes will now be on how the former captain manages the emotional burden of skating in front of a fanbase that has expressed its displeasure unmistakably.
