Elliotte Friedman reeals the Red Wings' current stance on a Dylan Larkin trade

Dylan Larkin isn't a done deal anywhere, according to Elliotte Friedman, and the Red Wings are still in the early stages of figuring out a market.

Friedman spoke on the FAN Hockey Show, and the tone was cautious. Detroit has not reached the point of locking anything in, based on the portion of his comments that has circulated.

That matters tonight. The Red Wings host Chicago, and Larkin won't be in the lineup, with coach Todd McLellan confirming his absence ahead of the game.

His status is listed as day-to-day, not injury related, and he's expected to be out until at least Oct 31. That's a lot of words for a situation nobody wants to name out loud.

Earlier Thursday, Marco D'Amico's report on Dylan Larkin trade talks pointed to the Wild, Capitals and Hurricanes. Friedman's read sounds a lot less advanced than that.

Both can be true. Talks can move forward with a couple of clubs while the Red Wings still gather information and sort out what a deal might look like.

Here is what Friedman said, as relayed by R i N K Y.

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Why the Red Wings can't rush a Larkin deal

Detroit is 5-4-3 through 12 games, 21st in the NHL and eighth in the Atlantic. Those aren't the numbers of a team that can afford to dump its captain-level center for pennies.

The Red Wings also won their last outing, 4-3 in a shootout at Edmonton on Monday. They're 5-2-3 over their last 10, so this isn't a roster in free fall.

Larkin has 6 points in 10 games this season, with 2 goals and 4 assists, and he's a +3. Solid, not spectacular, and exactly the kind of line that invites a hard negotiation.

His career line is 818 games, 278 goals and 649 points. The Detroit first-rounder from 2014 has been the franchise's identity for a long time.

That's why Horcoff can't treat this like a routine move. A 30-year-old with that résumé will draw interest, but the return has to make the Red Wings better, not just different.

The questions that follow are uncomfortable. If Detroit is only at the fact-finding stage, why is Larkin already out of the lineup? And how long can that stand-off go on before it affects the room?

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