Steve Yzerman publicly addresses Dylan Larkin trade request.

The Detroit Red Wings and their fans were sent reeling earlier this offseason when the team's captain, Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin, suddenly demanded a trade less than halfway through the contract he had signed with the organization.

Rumors and speculation have been rampant since the news got out but what we had not heard until now was an official comment from the Red Wings organization on the matter. That came on Saturday following the second day of the NHL Entry Draft when Steve Yzerman spoke to the media and faced questions about the Larkin situation.

Yzerman began by revealing how he first learned of Larkin's desire to leave the team.

"Shortly after the season I received a phone call from Dylan Larkin's agent, informing me that Dylan would like to be traded," revealed Yzerman on Saturday. "A week or so after that, Dylan's agent followed up with a short list of teams that Dylan would consider waiving his no-trade to go to."

While this probably shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has followed Yzerman's career both on and off the ice, it doesn't sound like he's simply going to acquiesce to the demands made by Larkin given that he has a great of control over the situation.

"Having said that, Dylan has 5 years remaining on his contract," stated Yzerman. "My job as the manager of the Detroit Red Wings is always to do what is in the best interest of the Detroit Red Wings and I will act accordingly to that."

Yzerman even went out of his way to make it clear that a trade involving Larkin was far from guaranteed.

"I cannot make any guarantees, I did not make any guarantees that the request could or would be met," said Yzerman.

Yzerman ended the press conference shortly after, indicating that he would reveal more about the situation at some point in the future.

"I can confirm that the request was made, I will be in a position to answer more questions and be more specific in the future."