Report: Dylan Larkin rejects Red Wings contract offer

The Detroit Red Wings and captain Dylan Larkin may be approaching a crossroads. 

As you may know, Larkin is a pending unrestricted free agent at this season's end, and he's made no secret that his preference is to remain with the team he grew up watching as a Michigan native. He certainly is a homegrown talent, having also played for the University of Michigan Wolverines before his NHL career with the Red Wings began in 2015. 

But what is the most that the Red Wings are willing to spend on keeping him around for the long term? According to Detroit Free Press correspondent Helene St. James, Larkin's camp reportedly turned down an offer of $64 million over eight years.

"Yzerman has offered Larkin, 26, eight years and $64 million, but Larkin's side can use the eight-year, $73.2 million ($9.15 million annual average value) deal the Islanders gave Mathew Barzal in October as an example in countering."

Larkin recently had this to say about the ongoing negotiations between the two sides: 

"It doesn’t seem like there are any hard feelings, it is just the way it is going," he said. "With (GM) Steve (Yzerman), I don’t really expect anything else. It’s been very professional and we’ve had a lot of conversations about the team and certain things that come up during a season with guys or whatever it may be. It’s been pretty status quo."

It was also speculated by former Red Wings forward Darren McCarty that Yzerman is willing to play hardball with Larkin's camp, and could even go so far as to let him walk in free agency if a deal isn't able to get hammered out. 

It certainly would be a strange sight to see Larkin wearing another NHL jersey, and there are those who are a bit surprised that a contract hasn't been able to get worked out as of yet.