Yzerman addresses Larkin's trade request: "Dylan has five years remaining on his contract"

Shortly after the Red Wings finished their 10th straight season missing the playoffs, their fourth straight marred by a collapse in March, Steve Yzerman said he "received a phone call from Dylan Larkin’s agent informing me that Dylan would like to be traded."

"A week or so after that, Dylan's agent followed up with a short list of teams that Dylan would consider waiving his no-trade (clause) to go to," Yzerman said Saturday after the NHL Draft. "Having said that, Dylan has five years remaining on his contract. My job as the manager of the Detroit Red Wings is always to do what is in the best interest of the Detroit Red Wings, and I will act accordingly to that. I cannot make any guarantees, or did not make any guarantees, that his request could or would be met, and there is certainly a lot of uncertainty around that."

In his first public comments since the end of the season, Yzerman talked as little as possible about the biggest story of the NHL offseason. He opened his post-draft press conference by asking reporters to limit all questions to draft-related items and the Red Wings' seven selections, headlined by first-round winger JP Hurlbert.

He punted on any questions about Larkin until issuing a blanket statement at the end of the Zoom call, which began with Yzerman saying, "I will be deliberately brief here." He did not take any follow-up questions. The Red Wings ended the Zoom before Yzerman could even face any.

"For the time being, I can confirm, yes, that request was made," Yzerman went on. "I think I will be in a position to maybe answer more questions and be more specific in the future. Today, I would just like to leave it at that. We've just completed the draft. I would like the majority of the attention to be placed on the prospects we've added to our organization, and somewhere in the near future we can talk more about the roster, the personnel, the Red Wings, around free agency, which opens up next week. OK?

"I appreciate everyone's understanding. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but at this time I feel it's best just to leave it at that. Thank you."