Dylan Larkin Still Wants Out After Red Wings Make Peace

Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings are on good terms again, but he still wants to be traded. Detroit alternate governor Jim Devellano said on the Ozzy and Keats podcast with Chris Osgood and John Keating that the front office and Larkin have "kissed and made up," and people with close knowledge of the situation told the Detroit Free Press that the request has not been rescinded.

So the vibes are better in Hockeytown. The situation is the same.

What Jim Devellano said about Dylan Larkin

"I'm talking about [interim general manager Shawn Horcoff]. I'm talking about Todd McLellan, our coach, and me, kind of as the old godfather on the side... we've kissed and made up," Devellano said on the podcast.

"As I've said to Dylan personally, 'Let bygones be bygones. You're a good player. We really would like you to stay.' That's kind of where it sits right now," he said.

He also said he could not get into why Larkin asked out. "I wish it hadn't happened with Dylan. I can't go into the reasons why; that wouldn't be fair because I can't talk for Dylan," Devellano said. "How it'll play out? I don't know. He's on a very good contract with Detroit, and he's a good person."

Speaking to the Free Press on Wednesday, Devellano kept it simple: "We would like him to stay but he wants to go to another team." He also gave Larkin "big credit" for still playing for Detroit. The podcast was recorded days before the latest trade list report came out.

The 10-team list is still the list

Larkin's list now has 10 teams: Florida, Minnesota, Vegas, Dallas, Washington, Carolina, Utah, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Colorado. None are in Canada, so Montreal is still off it. In the spring, he was only open to the Panthers, Wild and Golden Knights.

The holdup has been the return, with Detroit asking for "value-now" players instead of a prospects and picks package. Larkin, 30, is in Year 4 of an eight-year deal with an $8.7 million cap hit, and the Wings have tried to keep things comfortable, including telling him he did not have to be on the bench for opening night introductions. He showed up anyway and was booed.

For Wings fans, the real question is whether better relations make a deal easier to finish. Nothing has changed on that front yet.

Larkin on the ice

Larkin has a goal and four assists for five points in seven games after missing the first two. On Tuesday at Seattle he set up both of Detroit's power play goals, including Alex DeBrincat's tying goal with 17 seconds left in the third, as the Wings rallied from 3-0 down. He also had six shots in 23:02, but Philipp Grubauer stopped him to end the shootout in a 4-3 loss. The Red Wings are 3-3-3 and play at Vancouver on Thursday, then at Calgary on Saturday.

Smacktok pick: lean higher on Larkin's shots Thursday in Vancouver. He put six on net Tuesday, has 20 through seven games and is playing about 22 minutes a night.