Red Wings Didn't Like Steve Yzerman's Dylan Larkin Trade Warning
Yzerman's Warning To Ownership
Appearing on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman laid out what he described as one of the stories circulating around the situation.
"Yzerman had warned the Red Wings and ownership that if they traded Larkin they would probably not win the deal in the short term," Friedman said. "It would be for longer term help. And I don't think the Red Wings liked that."
According to Friedman, Detroit's management group was not willing to make a Larkin trade unless the return offered immediate help, but Yzerman's read on the market was that any realistic deal for his captain would be built primarily around prospects and draft picks rather than proven NHL talent.
Chris Johnston: Re Dylan Larkin trade request: I think Minnesota is probably the most likely landing spot, but it's hard for me to figure out what trade makes sense between those teams - Chris Johnston Show (9/14)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) September 19, 2026
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NHLRR: The Wild's offer for Larkin believed to have been…
That's a fundamentally different vision than what ownership wanted to hear, and Friedman's reporting suggests it created real friction behind the scenes well before Yzerman stepped away from the GM chair in July.
This philosophical gap between Yzerman and ownership existed while he still held the job, and it was only after his move into a senior advisor role that the search for a permanent replacement began in earnest, with interim GM Shawn Horcoff now getting his own opportunity to solve the situation Yzerman couldn't.
Why Minnesota's Offer Never Fit
This context makes a lot more sense of why talks with the Wild specifically have stalled.
Minnesota is currently the only team among Larkin's three approved destinations, along with Florida and Vegas, that's actively pursuing a trade, but their approach has been built around futures.
The Athletic's Michael Russo has reported that names like Danila Yurov and Charlie Stramel have been part of Minnesota's discussions, and by his own account, those names "haven't moved the needle" for Detroit.
Dylan Larkin on the alleged three team trade list he submitted to the Detroit Red Wings.
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) September 17, 2026
(Via @DetroitRedWings) pic.twitter.com/Q4dfUKijo4
If Yzerman genuinely believed ownership wanted immediate help rather than a longer-term bet, a Wild package heavy on prospects was never going to clear that bar, no matter how much value rival evaluators placed on those players down the road.
Larkin himself addressed the situation publicly this week for the first time in weeks, though he gave almost nothing away. "I'm going to try to be honest with you guys today and I'm not ready to go there yet," he said, declining to say whether his trade request still stands or whether any reconciliation with the organization is possible.
He did make clear he doesn't regret making the request in the first place, even while keeping the door open to staying in Detroit for now.
