It’s been a roller coaster few weeks for Detroit Red Wings fans since word came out that Dylan Larkin requested a trade. It’s not a surprise that Larkin is frustrated in his position, as he hasn’t been in the playoffs since his rookie year. However, nobody expected this from the Red Wings’ captain.
Now, with every move, some wonder how that is going to impact the Larkin situation. When the Florida Panthers traded Mackie Samoskevich to the Seattle Kraken for a first and second-round pick, many thought that could be the first move towards a Larkin trade. It turns out that was actually to facilitate a Brady Tkachuk trade.
Meanwhile, Larkin’s trade market has been moving at the speed of Steve Yzerman. Despite the demand, Yzerman still holds the cards here. While Larkin’s contract has a full no-trade clause, it doesn’t end until 2031. The Red Wings don’t need to trade Larkin if the right return doesn’t come to their doorstep.
In the early days of the rumor mill, we heard about just three teams that Larkin would agree to go to: the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, and Florida Panthers. All three of those teams are extremely limited on assets, and now the Panthers are in an even bigger pickle when it comes to pieces to trade after the Tkachuk acquisition.
Now, a new report says something completely different. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet just put out his latest trade board, and it obviously had Larkin at the top. It did have a very interesting anecdote when explaining the market for Larkin.
"Frustration and lack of playoff games finally got Larkin to a point where he requested a trade from Detroit with multiple years left on his contract and a full no-trade clause. While Larkin will have some control over his next destination because of that clause, GM Steve Yzerman also has control on if Larkin gets traded at all. There is a strong push for Larkin to expand his list of teams he’s willing to go to. Yzerman will not move him if he feels he’s getting squeezed. Look for Yzerman's former assistant GM, Pat Verbeek, to try and get in on this. However, it appears Larkin's destination of choice is Dallas."Nick Kypreos, Sportsnet
The Dallas Stars are reportedly Dylan Larkin's preferred destination
After months of looking at the usual suspects for superstar trades, the Stars are somewhat of a surprise addition to the situation. They are dealing with a contract situation already, as fellow American Jason Robertson needs a new deal. He's also the subject of trade speculation.
Could the Stars be looking to move Robertson for Larkin straight up? It would solve a lot of problems for both teams.
That's not what Kypreos is reporting, but it is an interesting solution to everyone's "problem."
Dallas would probably like to keep both, but making the salaries work would be nearly impossible without major surgery to that roster. Still, after a first-round exit, the Stars are likely in the market for a massive move.
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