Talk of a Dylan Larkin trade won’t go away until the deal gets done. But the situation could become a catch-22 for Steve Yzerman.
The hope is that Yzerman can wield his magic in much the same manner he did when he was GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At that time, former Lightning captain Martin St. Louis, now head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, requested a trade out of Tampa.
Yzerman not only managed to escape the situation, but he also got ahead. The ex-Lightning GM pulled off a trade that saw St. Louis go to the New York Rangers in exchange for several pieces, including Ryan Callahan.
As Pierre LeBrun noted in The Athletic, Yzerman pulled off a “masterpiece” by landing Callahan, two first-round picks, and a seventh-round pick.
That’s what Red Wings fans are hoping Yzerman can do this time around. However, another notable insider, the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, does not believe that could really be the case.
During an appearance on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, Pagnotta pointed out that the bulk of the return for Larkin would be mostly futures. And in that scenario, the Red Wings could fall back into rebuild mode.
“Right now, it seems like the best return is futures driven, which would kind of veer them back into this rebuild all over again type scenario.”
By “futures,” we’re talking about a combination of prospects and picks. While Red Wings fans would hope that Yzerman can get pieces to actually help the Red Wings contend, the likelihood of that seems slim.
The purported main suitors, Florida, Minnesota, and Vegas, likely can't offer a substantial package for Larkin. Other teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, or even the San Jose Sharks could pay a king’s ransom. But that bounty would come in the form of prospects and draft picks.
In that event, the Red Wings could actually show signs of backwardation next season.
Red Wings fans will have to come to grips with rebuilding around Seider, Raymond
This Larkin quagmire could push the Red Wings back into a situation where rebuilding around Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond is pretty much the way forward.
That’s not a bad core by any means. But it also means that veterans like Patrick Kane might not be back next season. Additionally, other veterans like Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp, and Justin Faulk could be on the block next season.
Next season might also be the best time to turn the crease over to prospect Sebastian Cossa, especially if Yzerman feels the Red Wings won’t be contending for a playoff spot.
All of that means that the Red Wings could be in for a tough season while they reload for a serious run in two or three years. That potential hinges on centers like Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, and Michael Rasmussen becoming solid NHL pivots.
Of course, there’s always the possibility the Red Wings could revisit free agency next summer. For instance, Ottawa Senators center Drake Batherson could hit the market in 2027. Popular names like William Karlsson and Tyler Seguin could become available as well.
Sure, none of the above-mentioned names are replacements for Larkin. But they could be the sort of complementary pieces that the Red Wings could bring in to round out their emerging core.
Fans will ultimately have no choice but to wait and see if Yzerman can make lemonade out of the gigantic lemon that Dylan Larkin handed him this summer.
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