Will Dylan Larkin’s trade request impact the Detroit Red Wings’ attempts to re-sign Patrick Kane?
Stay tuned.
General manager Steve Yzerman limited his comments Saturday, June 27, on anything not involving the 2026 NHL Draft, though he did make a few comments about the Larkin situation, following the conclusion of the two-day event.
Yzerman confirmed Larkin, through his agent, requested a trade shortly after the season ended. Yzerman also said he had given no guarantee, and would not give one, that Larkin will be traded. He’s the Wings’ captain, and while that role could smoothly transition to defenseman Moritz Seider, finding a top-line center who plays in all situations and is a regular 30-goal scorer will be tricky. And given how thin they are down the middle, that is, in the end, what the Wings will need to end up with in return for trading Larkin, be it directly or via a multi-team trade.
Back to Kane. It would be a big loss for the Wings to lose such a consistent offensive threat – his 16 goals last season were fourth on the roster, while his 57 points were fifth. Asked about re-signing him – free agency begins July 1 – Yzerman kept his comment short on Saturday.
“We would love to have Patrick on the Red Wings,” he said.
Kane has spent the past 2½ seasons with the Wings, arriving in November 2023, six months after undergoing invasive hip surgery. The first-ballot future Hockey Hall of Famer showed that even in the twilight of his career he remains a prime threat, contributing 20 goals and 47 points in 50 games in 2023-24.
The relationship was so mutually satisfying it led to renewal one-year deals in both summer of 2024 and 2025. Kane produced 21 goals and 59 points in 72 games in 2024-25 – a 0.82 points-per-game rate – and upped that to 0.85 points per game in 67 games this past season. He has been limited by injuries, but this past season he was still the Wings’ second-leading scorer post-Olympics.
The 2025-26 season was, in fact, full of successes for Kane. A sampling: On Jan. 8, Kane became the 50th player in NHL history – and the fifth U.S.-born player – to score 500 career goals. On Jan. 29, Kane became the highest-scoring U.S.-born NHL player in history, passing former Wing Mike Modano for the American lead in points. And on April 13, he became the 24th player in NHL history to record 1,400 points.
At season-ending interviews, Kane said sounded like he’d be sticking around.
“I’d love to be part of the solution that helps us get over the hump for sure,” he said. “I think there is mutual interest to come back, continue my career.It’s been a great spot for me and my family and my son. It’s been a great spot to continue my career. I definitely enjoyed my time here.The organization has been absolutely incredible with me and my family, which is appreciated.
“We’ll see how everything plays out.”
The important thing is, of course, that comment was made April 17, nearly two months before Larkin’s trad request leaked on June 4. To not know how the Larkin saga ends may alter Kane’s outlook on staying. And while he’ll be 38 in November, he’s still a phenomenal player who will get offers if he reaches free agency.
It’s worth noting, each of the last two years, he re-signed on June 30 – the eve of free agency.
Contact Helene St. James at Hstjames@freepress.com.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin’s trade request impacts Patrick Kane
Reporting by Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
