The Detroit Red Wings' offseason is on pause, and not just because the entire league is on summer vacation. That's because the Red Wings are in search for a new head of hockey operations. Steve Yzerman, who had been the executive vice president and general manager since 2019, stepped down from his roles on July 15. This news came weeks after Yzerman ran the NHL Draft and free agency, leaving Red Wings fans and the hockey world as a whole, stunned.
With the team in search for a new general manager, that means Dylan Larkin trade talks are on hold. The team captain requested a trade from the team back in June, and thus entered a blinking contest with Yzerman. With Yzerman gone, the Red Wings have to figure out whether they can convince Larkin to stay, or if they will have to move forward with a trade. If the latter is the route they must take, the new general manager has to decide whether they will go for a "win-now" approach, or one that will help them build towards a more sustainable future.
The Athletic's Harman Dayal recent wrote an article highlighting seven teams he believes are going to be stuck in the "mushy middle" for the foreseeable future, and the Red Wings are one of them. Regarding a Larkin trade, Dayal believes it would be in the team's best interest to receive a future-focused return for their captain, instead of one that would help them "win now."
Red Wings would be better off getting future-focused return in Dylan Larkin trade
"Committing to a step back in the short term is probably the wisest decision for the franchise’s long-term health, though. Detroit doesn’t need a full-scale teardown as it has some foundational pieces in Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson, along with a top-10 prospect pool in the NHL, but the worst possible scenario would be to trade Larkin for a win-now package in an attempt to stay competitive and end their postseason drought," writes Dayal.
"In any case, it feels like a while before the Red Wings will be relevant again. For the sake of their fans, hopefully their next GM accepts this fate, is OK with taking a step back and commits to a path that at least creates some light at the end of the tunnel."
When looking at the landscape of the NHL currently when it comes to players available on the trade block, it seems like every team is virtually set. It's already well-known that Yzerman was looking for a trade return that would help them win now, which is why there were rumors about an asking price of Matt Boldy from the Minnesota Wild in return for Larkin. But now, Yzerman is no longer in control of hockey operations.
It truly all depends on what executive they end up hiring at the conclusion of their hiring cycle, which doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon. The Red Wings are going to take their time. It will be up to the new general manager to decide what to do with the team. As Dayal mentions, they have some legitimate players that are part of the team's future in defenseman Moritz Seider and forward Lucas Raymond.
When looking at it from a "replacing Larkin" angle, the Red Wings don't have a center prospect that can instantly skyrocket up to one of their top two lines. So trading Larking away makes it that much painful. But that can change if, the new general manager shifts away from Yzerman's trade plan of getting a player who can contribute right away, and instead focuses on bringing in prospects that can be focal points to the roster for the foreseeable future.
Dylan Larkin, new Red Wings GM talks will be important this offseason
Once the Red Wings announce their new head of hockey operations, the focus will then be on them talking with Larkin to see if they can mend fences. Red Wings fans all know that the relationship between Larkin and Yzerman were beyond repair, given their difficult contract negotiations back in 2023. Things only got worse during this trade saga, with Larkin only accepting trades to the Wild, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, or Dallas Stars, while Yzerman publicly said that he would hold onto Larkin if he didn't get a proper offer from a team.
Now, we'll see if the new general manager can convince Larkin to stay for this upcoming season, at least. But if Larkin is set on leaving, it will be interesting to see if the Red Wings can convince him to expand his trade destination wishlist. That will be the key to helping out both sides.
But when it comes to a Larkin trade, they must consider building their future as the priority. Let's not forget, the Atlantic Division only got tougher, with the Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs improving, while the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Buffalo Sabres still remaining strong. Sure, the playoff drought might extend if they go for a future-focused return, but it should help their long-term prospects.
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