The Detroit Red Wings have endured an offseason to forget after a disappointing 2025-2026 campaign as the team heads into next season full of uncertainty as they continue their search for a new general manager to replace Steve Yzerman. One development that was expected to occur by now that remains at a stalemate is the conclusion of the Dylan Larkin saga. Larkin requested a trade from the organization early on in the summer, but currently remains on the Detroit roster as the new year draws near.
Detroit Having a Difficult Time Moving Larkin
With the removal of Yzerman from the GM position, the prospects of Larkin potentially sticking with the Red Wings appeared to be raised. However, that notion was shot down quick as Larkin’s wishes to be moved have reportedly not changed.
Detroit is still expected to eventually trade Larkin, therefore what is creating this persistent holdup? Analyst Jeff Marek discussed this topic on Off The Post: “The problem…the team that he’s going to wants to pay 2nd line center prices…but the Red Wings are asking for 1st line center prices; I wonder how much of a disconnect that’s causing in any type of move.”
For the Red Wings, Larkin is viewed as a first-line caliber player. He has been the number one centerman that the team has been building around since he joined the franchise in 2015. While Larkin may not produce offensively at the rate of most star 1C’s, it is his all-around game that has made him an elite player in this league.
However, the majority of teams on Larkin’s trade list have centers that would slot ahead of Larkin on the depth chart. For the Florida Panthers, Alexander Barkov has made his mark as one of the top two-way centers in the NHL. For the Vegas Golden Knights, Jack Eichel has emerged as one of the league’s best on both ends. Larkin would play in a second-line role on those teams. So, the package these squads are willing to part with won’t be what Detroit is looking for trade-value wise.
Minnesota Could Make the Most Sense for Larkin
There is one team Larkin has been heavily linked to where this disconnect in trade price’s might not be an issue. That team is the Minnesota Wild, who could be the favorites to land his services. Larkin would likely be the first-line center with this group as they do not have the same level of depth down the middle. The Wild’s current center rotation consists of Joel Eriksson-Ek, Danila Yurov, Ryan Hartman and Michael McCarron.
Minnesota looks to be the team best positioned to land Larkin given the team’s situation compared to the rest of the pack. The question is do the Wild have the trade return that Detroit would be looking for in a first-line caliber player? The other issue Minnesota has, similar to Vegas and Florida, is a difficult salary cap situation. The team has enough to worry about from that regard with Quinn Hughes awaiting a big-ticket extension. Fitting Larkin into the books would be a challenge for them.
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