The Detroit Red Wings already have enough going on with the Dylan Larkin situation, but now they have another contract problem that could become even more important. Simon Edvinsson is reportedly looking for a contract extension, and according to Elliotte Friedman, the young defenseman would prefer a trade out of Detroit if the two sides can't reach an agreement.
That adds another layer to what has already been a pretty strange situation for the Red Wings. Larkin reportedly wants out of the organization, and now Edvinsson could also be looking for a way out if his contract situation doesn't get figured out.
Detroit can’t catch a break with negative rumors
The Larkin situation has obviously been getting most of the attention, but that could start to change. Edvinsson is one of the young players Detroit is supposed to build around, and the Red Wings can't simply ignore him entering a contract dispute with the organization.
It is also worth noting just how much attention this story is getting within the fanbase. Once something like this starts making its way around the local market, it becomes much harder for the team to simply let the situation sit in the background. Every question about Larkin can now turn into a question about Edvinsson as well.
For the Red Wings, that puts some pressure on the front office to figure out what they want to do. If Edvinsson is willing to stay, which he clearly was, he showed up to camp without a contract. Then getting a contract done would obviously be the easiest solution. If the two sides aren't close, though, Detroit may have no choice but to move him, especially after Freidman’s report suggesting he wants to be moved if there is no resolution.
That would obviously be a pretty significant decision. Edvinsson is still young and has a chance to become a very important defenceman for the Red Wings. So trading him simply because contract talks are difficult would be a risky move. At the same time, if he really doesn't want to stay in Detroit, the organization has to consider what it can get back for him.
That is where this could eventually become an even bigger story than the Larkin situation. Larkin was already a major part of the Red Wings' plans, but Edvinsson represents the younger core Detroit is supposed to be building around. Losing one player would completely change the roster's direction, not to mention how bad it would be to lose both. That seems more likely with each passing day.
There is still time for Detroit to fix this with Edvinsson. The Red Wings can work with his agent on a new contract and try to get the situation under control before it gets any worse. But now that the report is out there and people in Detroit are talking about it, the pressure is going to keep building.
At some point, the Edvinsson situation will get more attention than the Larkin rumors, if it hasn’t already. Detroit just needs to face reality here. They can’t work to find a resolution with Larkin; that ship has sailed. It is best to move him when they get an offer that they like and move on. However, for Evdvinsson, they should push all their chips into the table, try to get him signed, and hope the bridge they burned can be fixed. Or they risk losing another big piece to their organization.
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