In year eight with the Red Wings, Dylan Larkin hopes he's just getting started. With speculation swirling about his next contract, Detroit's captain plans to be here long into the future.
"I've said it all along, and I stand by it: I really see myself as a Red Wing," Larkin told reporters Thursday in Florida ahead of Saturday's NHL All-Star Game. "There's contract negotiating to be done, and that's really all I'll say about that. It's my first time in this position as an unrestricted free agent, but
I doubt contracts really ever go smoothly until they're done."
Larkin, 26, is in a good spot. He's a pending free agent having arguably the best season of his career. The three-time All-Star has 43 points in 47 games and, per usual the past several seasons, has been the Wings' best player almost every night. Now he'd like to be paid like it.
The Free Press reported last week that Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings have offered Larkin an eight-year, $64 million extension, which Larkin turned down. Larkin seemed to suggest otherwise Thursday.
"I wouldn't say that the [contract news] that's been made public is really the most truthful," he said. "It just seems people are fishing and speculating. I don't really want my business out there. I understand we're in the spotlight and fans want to know. They deserve to know. But I think it's not really the most truthful. It's just speculation, and I don't really read into that too much."
Larkin can reasonably demand eight years, $68 million from the Red Wings. But anything more than $8.5 million per year would be pushing it and would likely force Yzerman to consider trading Larkin ahead of the March 3 deadline -- rather than risk losing him for nothing this summer. Odds are, the two sides find middle ground before that happens.
The Red Wings haven't made the playoffs since Larkin's rookie season (tied for the longest drought in franchise history), but he's confident in their future. Yzerman has added several quality players and prospects to the organization since taking over as general manager in 2019. Larkin said Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond in particular have "really brought a light to myself and to our team."
"Those guys are very important. In my position, I look at our prospects and who we've drafted. I'm very excited about some of the guys we've drafted and some of the guys we've developed through their young careers," Larkin said.
If everything works out, he'll be leading them for years to come.
"I want to play on a good team, and I think we have the guys in our room to win," Larkin said. "That's what's been a blessing -- being able to focus on that and let the other stuff take care of itself."
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