Dylan Larkin would not say if he has rescinded his trade request, but he has spoken to his Detroit Red Wings teamamtes about the situation.
Larkin spoke to reporters on Thursday, Sept. 17, for the first time since news broke in early June that he had asked the Wings to move him after 11 seasons with the team, the last six as captain.
Asked what triggered the request, Larkin said that, "There's a lot there. A lot of personal stuff. To be honest with you − I'm going to try and be honest with you guys today. And that's as far as I'll go on that.
"I understand that there's answers that fans and people that care about this organization around the world want to know. But I'm really not ready to go there. It's maybe something that I may never be. And
it wasn't easy to get to that decision. It was very hard. It wasn't a spur of the moment thing. I don't take what I did lightly. I got to that point and, you know, I'm not quite ready to talk about it."
Larkin did not take the ice with teammates on the first day of camp, as he is rehabbing an upper-body injury sustained while training.
Asked if the request still stands, Larkin said he wanted to keep that between him and the organization. As for his teammates, Larkin said: "I have spoken to them. And I spoke honestly. You know, they deserve that. I would say to you guys that it was not because of them. And that's as far as I'll go on that.
"I've tried to give them space to let it sink in. I wish so bad that I could be on the ice."
In regards to losing the captaincy, Larkin said: "It was discussed with the organization. I understand it. I asked for a trade from the Detroit Red Wings as the captain. Actions have consequences. I understand why that decision was made. I'm going to be professional about it."
Larkin almost sounded relieved about not having the "C" on his sweater anymore, saying: "I'm excited to be a part of this team and, you know, back at the bottom of the totem pole, which is maybe kind of nice."
Contact Helene St. James at Hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dylan Larkin on Red Wings trade request: 'Personal stuff"
