Moritz Seider revealed his recent contact with Dylan Larkin, but the Detroit Red Wings defenseman made clear that their birthday contact did not resolve the uncertainty surrounding his captain.
In a September 6 NHL.com interview, Seider said he recently congratulated Larkin on his birthday. He declined to reveal anything else about Larkin out of respect for his teammate, then offered a carefully worded assessment of the trade request.
“We are a better team when he is in our lineup,” Seider said, according to an English translation of the German interview.
That sentence supports Larkin without challenging the captain’s desire to leave. It places responsibility for the next move on Detroit’s incoming general manager rather than on players caught between a teammate and an organization.
Seider’s Answer Avoided a Dangerous Locker-Room Trap
Larkin reportedly requested a trade after Detroit missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. He recorded a 34-33-67 scoring line in 74 games and controls the process through a full no-trade clause, making his wishes essential to any agreement.
Seider did not criticize those wishes. He said Larkin has his reasons, acknowledged Detroit’s obvious need for its leading center, and refused to turn a private conversation into public evidence about what comes next.
That distinction matters. Saying the Red Wings are better with Larkin does not mean Seider expects him to rescind the request, and birthday contact does not prove the relationship between the captain and organization has improved.
Seider instead described a situation beyond his control. He said headlines surrounding the Red Wings have distracted from their work, forcing players to concentrate on training, nutrition, sleep, and their relationships with teammates.
Detroit’s Next Leader Inherits the Decision
The Red Wings removed Steve Yzerman from his leadership role in July and have not announced a permanent successor. Seider said another solution may become necessary if a new leader arrives, but emphasized that the general manager must make that decision.
His wording reflects the delicate role he occupies. Seider wore an alternate captain’s “A” last season, finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting, and has played 410 consecutive NHL games. If Detroit trades Larkin, the 25-year-old defenseman would become an obvious candidate for greater leadership responsibility.
Seider did not campaign for that possibility. He said young players may enter uncomfortable roles this season and described his responsibility as helping them build confidence.
That approach makes his Larkin response more revealing than a dramatic prediction. Seider protected his teammate, acknowledged Detroit’s competitive reality, and left the transaction to whoever takes control of the front office.
The birthday contact shows that communication remains open. Everything beyond that remains unresolved, including whether Larkin reports to camp, expands his acceptable destinations, or begins another season wearing the “C.” Until Detroit hires its next decision-maker, Seider’s measured answer may be the closest anyone inside the locker room comes to defining the stalemate.
Red Wings Star Reveals Latest Larkin Contact Amid Trade Drama