The rich get richer in the NHL as minutes ago, the Florida Panthers acquired Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators. The Senators, in return, receive three first round picks and a second round pick, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic:
Hearing that the Florida Panthers are getting close to acquiring Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators.
I believe Ottawa will get three first-round picks and a second-round pick in the deal if finalized. More to come.
Tkachuk, who played on the Team USA roster with Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, is set to reunite with his brother in Sunrise. While this trade doesn't directly impact the Red Wings, it opens up a series of questions revolving around the organization and Dylan Larkin respectively.
Larkin's initial trade request list only contained three teams, one of which was the Panthers. With Florida all but knocked out of the sweepstakes, where does Larkin look to be moved next? What does general manager Steve Yzerman have up his sleeve?
And - most importantly - how does this affect Larkin's trade value?
Larkin's price set to skyrocket
It's not that Tkachuk is a bad player by any means. It's the fact that a two-way, near point-per-game center on one of the most team-friendly deals in the NHL is going to garner a much higher wage than a power forward who plays on the wing.
If Tkachuk can go for four high-end draft picks, Larkin should net a king's ransom.
Centers are far more valued than wingers in the NHL. Additionally, Larkin's contract at $8.7M, goes for the next five seasons as opposed to Tkachuk's $8.2M for the next two seasons.
It's not every day a franchise-altering player goes on the market. Larkin isn't a top-10 (or even top-20) player, but he's the kind of addition that can change a team from a playoff regular to a Stanley Cup contender. He's the exact kind of player that teams looking to make that final addition or big push should try to add at all costs before the start of the season.
Larkin needs to expand list for Red Wings
That said, however, Larkin needs to expand his list for the Red Wings if he hopes to start the season on a different team. Realistically, with Florida out of the picture, the only two teams remaining are the Vegas Golden Knights and the Minnesota Wild. The Wild simply don't have the pieces to make the trade possible, while the Golden Knights need to make a lot of things go right in order for the trade to work.
WIth the Tkachuk trade finalized, Larkin needs to go back to the drawing board and look at other teams he'd be interested in joining. Someone like, say, the Utah Mammoth could make things possible if the stars align properly.
This move will require Larkin's participation just as much as it requires Yzerman's creativity.
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