Analyst: Dylan Larkin Trade Still Possible Before Opening Night
· Yahoo Sports
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkinrequested a trade back in June, and more than three months later he is still on the roster. The 2026-2027 season is coming fast. Detroit opens at home against the New York Rangers on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m.
Larkin is 30 years old and coming off a gold medal with Team U.S.A. at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where the Americans beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in the final in Milan. He is also the captain of a team that has missed the playoffs 10 straight seasons, the longest active drought in the NHL. Detroit has not qualified since 2015-2016.
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With no trade done yet, some believe Larkin will still be in a Red Wings sweater when the puck drops on Oct. 2. Others think Detroit gets a deal done before then.
Analyst Believes a Dylan Larkin Trade Could Still Happen
NHL analyst Lyle Richardson listed five trades that could still happen around the league before training camps open. Larkin was on the list. Richardson wrote:
Several months have passed since Dylan Larkin’s trade request was first reported. With the Detroit Red Wings searching for a new general manager, the 30-year-old center’s situation remains in limbo.
Since June, Larkin has regularly appeared on our NHL Trade Target Big Boards. The Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers were on his initial three-team trade list, with the Dallas Stars rumored to also be among them.
The Wild were reportedly Larkin’s preferred destination, but like the other clubs, they cannot afford the Red Wings’ high asking price and his $8.7 million average annual value. That’s unlikely to change regardless of who becomes the Red Wings’ new GM.
If Larkin expands his trade list, it should increase his chances of being moved if the Wings have their new GM in place before training camp opens. That could be his only recourse if he truly wants to join a contender before the regular season begins.
Lyle Richardson, Bleacher Report
The Asking Price Is Still the Problem
That is the same wall this has run into all summer. The teams Larkin wants cannot pay what Detroit is asking and carry the cap hit at the same time. Minnesota would have moved straight into the Stanley Cup conversation with Larkin down the middle, and the Wild still could not make the money work.
The other holdup is the front office. Steve Yzerman moved into a senior advisor role in July, and the Red Wings are still searching for his replacement. Until someone is hired with the authority to make a trade of this size, nothing is likely to move.
Larkin’s Contract and Stats
Any team trading for Larkin has to take on the contract. According to Spotrac, he has five years left at an $8.7 million cap hit, running through 2030-2031. He also holds a full no-trade clause through 2027-2028, per PuckPedia, so he decides where he goes and when.
In 74 games last season, Larkin scored 34 goals and added 33 assists with a plus-3 rating. That is the fifth straight season he has reached 67 points. If the Red Wings move him, they open a hole at center that the return package has to fill, and that is before Detroit replaces the leadership.