Report Suggests Yzerman's Delay in Naming Larkin Captain After Zetterberg Retired May Have Fueled Rift

As the Detroit Red Wings continue to navigate the ongoing Dylan Larkin trade request saga, more and more reports are starting to back up the notion that a rift developed between the local Michigan native and organizational leader Steve Yzerman.One report from reliable MLive reporter Ansar Khan suggested that shortly after Henrik Zetterberg retired, the wait from 2018 to 2020 to name a new captain was an intentional choice by Yzerman.Khan noted he believes the decision to hold off on naming Larkin captain for those two seasons shook him. It was only two seasons that the Red Wings went without a captain, but it may have felt like a much longer stretch to Larkin.It's been quite some time since any official statement has come from Larkin's camp regarding the trade request and it's starting to feel like a shift is coming.Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.Ansar Khan: Re Dylan Larkin trade request/Red Wings: I think this whole thing started...years ago when Henrik Zetterberg retired, everybody thought...Larkin makes sense...except Yzerman who went a couple years...no captain; I think that shaked Larkin - Jason Gregor Show (7/15)— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 18, 2026The hockey world was stunned in early June when NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that captain Dylan Larkin, coming off a career-high 34-goal season, had requested a trade.A list of preferred destinations soon emerged, with Larkin naming the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers as teams he'd consider waiving his no-trade clause for, before reports later added the Dallas Stars to the list as well.Plenty of holes have been poked in Larkin's list and the difficulty each team would face in acquiring him.The Panthers have very little cap space to work with, while the Golden Knights and Wild are thin on high-end prospects and draft capital. Even the Stars, Larkin's more recent addition to the list, face similar issues in putting together a workable offer.A trade involving Larkin looks even more uncertain now that Yzerman has reportedly stepped down from his role as Red Wings general manager and vice president of hockey operations.He will move into more of a senior advisory role going forward, with Detroit now searching for a new voice in the GM chair, a change that could open the door to a rebuilt relationship between Larkin and the front office.Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!ImageFor action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.