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With only days separating them from the start of the 2026-27 NHL campaign, the Detroit Red Wings continue to face more questions than answers.
In the first place, defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains a restricted free agent and, despite having reported to Training Camp and taken part in non-scrimmage drills, is ineligible to play without a contract.
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Secondly, former captain Dylan Larkin remains with the club despite his trade request that became public knowledge in early June.
Larkin, who suffered an off-ice training injury just before the start of Training Camp, has skated with his teammates the last few days, but did not appear in any of Detroit’s four preseason games (neither did Edvinsson).
While his status for Detroit’s regular season opener on Oct. 2 has yet to be decided, Larkin has participated in the last handful of practices, something his teammates say is a positive.
“It’s good,” said defenseman Moritz Seider about having Larkin on the ice in practice. “Obviously, he’s still dealing with his injury, that’s why he’s probably not in the regular lines right now. But it’s good to see him out there. He brings a lot of energy, and everyone is excited.”
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According to head coach Todd McLellan, Larkin’s presence is a positive, while also noting he has some work to do to get back up to speed after missing all of Training Camp and the entire preseason slate of games.
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“It’s good to have him on the ice; I think that’s where it’s the most comfortable for everybody,” McLellan said. “He’s a hockey player and a really good hockey player. He’s looked like he’s had some time off, and he needs to skate a little bit more.”
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“I paid a little more attention to him today; with his injury, the training part of it isn’t quite where it would normally be, and we’re two weeks ahead of him now,” he continued. “So, like any injury, even if it’s during the middle of the season, you have to get back up to pace. And we’ll help him with that.”
As far as his status for Friday’s season opener, McLellan said that’s still up in the air.
“He has – I believe he has a doctor’s appointment today at some point, and we’ll get more of a feedback from the physicians at that time to see where he’s at,” McLellan said.
Larkin is coming off his fifth-straight season of reaching at least 30 goals scored. But he is no longer the club’s captain, a role he’d held since being named the official successor to Henrik Zetterberg in January 2021.
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