Darren McCarty Has Blunt Message for Dylan Larkin

Don DrysdaleWed, June 10, 2026 at 1:53 AM UTC·1 min read

In case you have not yet heard, Dylan Larkin has reportedly requested to be traded from the Detroit Red Wings. That’s right, folks, the captain of the Red Wings has made the decision that he would rather be traded than continue to play for the team he rooted for growing up.

Ever since that news broke, there has been plenty of debate about whether this fiasco is more about Larkin not stepping up as a captain should, or Steve Yzerman sucking at his job and not building a competitive roster despite having way more than enough time to do so.

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Now, Darren McCarty has weighed in on the situation, and Larkin won’t like what the former Red Wings forward has to say.

“What do I always say? ‘You are either IN, or you are IN THE WAY, so you’re definitely in the way,” McCarty said. “And then we can put blame on this or that, or whatever, but I don’t want a guy, no matter if you’re the top guy, or the bottom guy. If you don’t want to be here, then I don’t want you here. This, I believe, will be one of the best things to happen to the Red Wings organization.”

It’s safe to say that McCarty is taking Yzerman’s side on this one!