A Dylan Larkin banner outside Little Caesars Arena has been removed, according to Detroit beat watcher Michael Whitaker, as the Red Wings captain's standoff with the club drags on.
The timing is hard to miss. Detroit lost 2-1 to the Golden Knights on Thursday night and sits 20th in the NHL, with a 7-7-3 record through 17 games.
Whitaker posted the news on Wednesday, and it was short and to the point: the banner is gone.
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The post doesn't say who ordered it taken down or why, so nobody should treat it as a formal announcement. But in a situation this tense, a banner coming down outside the building gets noticed.
Larkin has been the face of this team for a long time. He was the 15th overall pick in 2014 and has 649 points in 818 NHL games, all of them in a Red Wings sweater by the sheet's account of his draft club and career totals.
The story has been building all week. The Red Wings' push on Larkin and his agents to open up his list of teams was reported by Pierre LeBrun on Thursday, and the answer from the player's side has not changed.
What a long standoff means for Detroit
David Pagnotta has since said the standoff could last for weeks. That is a long time for a team already scuffling, with two straight losses and a goal differential of -3.
Larkin is listed with no injury, and he has 6 points in 10 games this season. Whatever is happening between him and the front office, it is not about his play.
For Shawn Horcoff, the problem is obvious. A captain on the books through 2030-31 with a list of teams he controls leaves very little room to maneuver, and every day without a resolution makes the trade market murkier.
For Todd McLellan, it is a distraction at the worst possible time. Detroit sits 8th in the Atlantic Division and cannot afford a locker room full of questions about its captain.
A removed banner might mean nothing. It might also be the first visible sign that the relationship has changed. Larkin and the Red Wings are in Colorado on Saturday, and the questions will follow them there.
Quick hits
BOSTON BRUINS: Mikey Eyssimont is back in the lineup after missing a game with a puck to the mouth, per Mark Divver. Good news for a bottom six that needs his energy.
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UTAH MAMMOTH: The Mammoth have placed Kailer Yamamoto on injured reserve, according to NHL Rosters. Utah will have to shuffle its forward group.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS: The Capitals close their homestand Saturday against the Panthers, with Martin Fehervary back and a two-game skid to stop. They badly need those home points.
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EDMONTON OILERS: Wayne Gretzky weighed in on Connor McDavid's start, saying "He's on a mission," according to Chris Johnston. Hard to argue with The Great One.
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NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Nico Hischier sits two points shy of 500 for his career as the Devils visit the Islanders on Saturday. A milestone night on Long Island is in play.
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Should the Red Wings trade Dylan Larkin rather than let the standoff drag on?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Utah gets unwelcome news about Kailer Yamamoto ahead of its next game
