Dylan Larkin's agent Pat Brisson issues statement for his client after removal from Red Wings lineup

Dylan Larkin won't play for the Red Wings tonight, and his agent just explained why. The Detroit captain's camp has run out of patience.

Pat Brisson, who represents Larkin, said his client has decided not to play while he awaits a trade. Detroit hosts Chicago tonight, and the center is not part of it.

That's a major escalation. A player sitting out is no longer a rumor about a trade list, it's a standoff with a club that has to fill the lineup.

Larkin is 30 years old and has appeared in 10 games this season. He has 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points, with a +3 rating.

Those aren't the numbers of a player in decline. A top-line center producing and still walking away from the room tells you how far this relationship has gone.

Detroit is 5-4-3 through 12 games, which puts the Red Wings 21st in the NHL and eighth in the Atlantic Division. The goal differential sits at -4.

Todd McLellan has already confirmed the absence, according to our earlier reporting on Todd McLellan's confirmation of Dylan Larkin's absence.

Trade clock now running on Detroit's captain

The timing matters. Detroit just won 4-3 in a shootout at Edmonton on Monday, and the team still has points to chase in a tight division.

Meanwhile, trade talks are reportedly moving. According to Marco D'Amico, the Larkin trade talks with the Wild, Capitals and Hurricanes have advanced.

The Canadiens have also surfaced in the conversation, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels. Nothing in the reporting says a deal is close.

Here is what Pierre LeBrun posted, with Brisson saying Larkin has "had enough of the situation" and has been professional and cooperative throughout.

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Calling him professional while he refuses to play is a bold line. It puts the pressure squarely on Shawn Horcoff to act.

Horcoff is the general manager, and every game Larkin sits lowers the leverage Detroit has. Waiting for the perfect offer gets harder when the player isn't dressing.

So how long can the Red Wings let this drag? Larkin's side has made its position public, and the next move belongs to Detroit.

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