- Jim Devellano says Red Wings management has “kissed and made up” with Dylan Larkin
- The interview was recorded days before Larkin expanded his trade list to 10 teams
- Read below for what Devellano said and where the Larkin trade stands
The Red Wings say the Dylan Larkin situation has cooled off. Larkin’s own trade list says otherwise.
Detroit alternate governor Jim Devellano told the “Ozzy and Keats” podcast that the front office and the former captain have mended things, Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl reported. Devellano named interim general manager Shawn Horcoff, coach Todd McLellan and himself as the group on the team’s side.
Devellano was asked where things stand with Larkin.
“Here’s what I would say to you guys from our end,” Devellano said. “I’m talking about Horcoff. I’m talking about Todd McLellan, our coach, and me, kind of as the old godfather on the side… we’ve kissed and made up.”
He said he has spoken to Larkin directly and wants him to stay for years.
“As I’ve said to Dylan personally, ‘Let bygones be bygones. You’re a good player. We really would like you to stay.’ That’s kind of where it sits right now.”
Devellano wouldn’t get into why Larkin asked out. He said he can’t speak for the player, and that he wishes it hadn’t happened. He also called Larkin “a good person” on “a very good contract.”
The timing is awkward. The episode was recorded days before the Free Press’ Helene St. James reported that Larkin grew his list of acceptable destinations to 10 teams, as we covered Tuesday. Here’s the list we put together:
Carolina, Colorado, New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Utah and Washington joined the original Florida, Minnesota, Vegas and Dallas. Larkin has a full no-movement say in where he goes, which makes a longer list a bigger deal than it sounds.
Larkin has played seven of Detroit’s first nine games and has five points. He has never made the playoffs as anything but a rookie, and the Red Wings are chasing a 10th straight miss. He talked about the Bell Centre crowd chanting for him earlier this month:
Devellano closed by saying Detroit is trying to make it work for Larkin first, then for the Red Wings, and that everyone is “keeping our fingers crossed.” A player who just added six teams to his trade list may not be sharing that optimism.
