Earlier this week, the Detroit Red Wings had a golden opportunity placed in their laps -- and they didn't even have to do anything.
Their division rival, the Florida Panthers, suffered another injury, with captain Aleksander Barkov suffering another injury. Barkov, captain of the Panthers, missed all of last season after undergoing surgery on his right knee to repair his ACL and MCL. This injury, fortunately, did not come at the expense of that knee, but Barkov's in-game frustrations suggest that he may be out for the foreseeable future.
If the Florida Panthers are in need of a top-six center that can carry the load of a top line, they have an answer just around the corner: Red Wings ex-captain Dylan Larkin.
Larkin has already expressed interest in joining the Panthers and both Detroit and Florida have engaged in talks multiple times this offseason. While the Panthers have cooled on Larkin, this recent injury might whet their appetites once more.
Why the Panthers could (and should) trade for Larkin
Sooner or later, the Panthers will need to look at upgrading their roster. Despite the addition of Brady Tkachuk, the rest of the Atlantic (save for the Red Wings) have made substantial roster upgrades. In order to keep their window open as long as possible, they need to do two things: infuse the roster with talent, and remain cap compliant.
Right now, the Panthers are running with Sam Bennett as their first line center and Anton Lundell as their second. Lundell, a young, talented center, has the chops to handle a top-six role. Behind Barkov and Bennett, though, he's relegated to the third line, where his production hits a wall.
Enter Dylan Larkin.
Imagine if the Panthers could secure a 30-goal, 70-point center on a sweetheart deal for the next five seasons. While Larkin is no Barkov, he's no slouch on both ends of the ice and could be a great replacement for Barkov in the interim. Once the captain returns, they can seamlessly slot Larkin on the second line and move Bennett to the third, creating the deadliest one-two-three punch in the league.
Of course, adding Larkin and subtracting Lundell wouldn't solve the Panthers' cap problems -- nor would it be enough to get a deal done with Detroit. The Panthers would also need to agree to trade Lundell, something they've been hesitant to do in the past. This trade requires a lot of things to work properly, but that doesn't make it impossible.
How a Larkin to Florida deal could work
In order to finalize a trade, the Red Wings would likely need to take on a contract or salary. One player that could help alleviate Florida's cap woes (and provide an upgrade to Detroit's roster) is Panthers winger Eetu Luostarinen. Luostarinen signed an eight-year deal this offseason that will come into effect at the start of the 2027-28 season, when he'll have a no movement clause.
Luostarinen is a defensive forward that's averaged at least 30 points across his last five seasons. He's played an integral role on the Panthers' penalty kill and is more than capable of munching defensive minutes.
But, with that said, if they're hesitant to trade one of Lundell or Luostarinen, the deal likely won't go through.
The Red Wings do have an exciting future ahead (assuming they can figure it out). The Panthers have a Stanley Cup window that's wide open. This could be a match made in heaven, if things go according to plan.
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