The Detroit Red Wings have been in the thick of it this offseason with the anticipated move of captain Dylan Larkin following his trade request from the team earlier in the summer.
The underlying assumption has been that there will eventually be a trade that sees Larkin play with a different organization next season. However, that is not certain to be the case. There is a possibility that Larkin still suits up for Detroit in 2026-2027 if the team is unable to fulfill the player’s demands.
Larkin Trade Not Close to Fruition
The process of moving Larkin has been made complicated based on the fact general manager Steve Yzerman has been given a short list of preferred destinations to work with. And all of those frontrunning teams (Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers) have tricky salary cap situations that have made pulling off a trade difficult. Larkin has expanded his trade list since, but that has not led to a resolution so far.
Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos does not believe there is a guarantee we see a Larkin trade take place this summer. Speaking on this manner, he stated: “As Steve Yzerman holds tight and Dylan Larkin’s trade list remains narrow, this is not close to a resolution. Minnesota and Vegas just don’t seem to want to move what the Red Wings would need; Larkin may yet still be a Red Wing in the fall.”
Yzerman is not going to force a Larkin trade through just for the sake of cleaning up this mess. While Larkin has expressed his desire to leave, Yzerman does not have to oblige. Trade requests do not need to be honored. If the return package is not to Yzerman’s liking, he has no reason to pull the trigger on a deal. He knows his security as GM hinges on how he handles this Larkin dilemma. Yzerman is not going to accept any return that is not a home run trade.
Larkin May Remain with Detroit
With the prospect of a Larkin trade not looking close in the near future, this might not reach the finish line for some time. There is a scenario where Larkin starts the year with Detroit and the team waits to make this move during the season. Perhaps by then, the market will become more favorable for Yzerman when it comes to executing a maneuver.
This would be an awkward situation, no doubt. Not to mention, Larkin is still the captain of this squad in the present. If he remains on this roster, does he keep the “C” or is that given to someone else? It would be odd to have the captain of the team be a player who wants out of the franchise.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Larkin and if there is a further development to this story by the time next fall rolls around. These are nervous times ahead in Detroit as the fanbase awaits the fate of their star American forward.
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