A bombshell claim emerged on Thursday, reporting a Dylan Larkin trade request. The report comes just hours before puck drop on Game 2 of the Stanley Cup, sending shockwaves throughout the NHL.
The report, as published by insider Elliotte Friedman, states that the Detroit Red Wings captain has asked to be traded this offseason. Now, Friedman is about as credible as they get in the business. So, if he’s running with it, there’s some serious stuff behind it.
Per Friedman, no one in the Red Wings organization has confirmed or denied the Larking trade request. Moreover, Larkin’s agent, Pat Brisson, has not made any sort of pronouncement on the situation.
Rumors about a Dylan Larkin trade request out of Detroit are nothing new. Chatter has been around for quite some time now. But this is the first time a credible insider has actually run with the story. Up to now, everything regarding a potential move involving Larkin has been nothing more than hearsay.
If Friedman’s shocking claim proves accurate, the Red Wings will be embarking on the biggest deal in recent team memory. The Red Wings captain was the club’s first-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. He has suited up for over 800 games, but has only appeared in five playoff games during his time in the Motor City.
As such, the Larkin trade request seems like a long time coming. It now seems that GM Steve Yzerman will have himself a doozy of a situation to deal with.
Red Wings Have Zero Leverage in Larkin Trade Request
Unfortunately for the Red Wings, the club has zero leverage in a Larkin trade request. The 29-year-old has a full no-trade clause for the next two seasons.
He’ll also be entering the fourth year of an eight-year deal that carries an $8.7 million cap hit. That’s a highly palatable cap hit that just about anyone will be willing to pay up.
The problem is that because Larkin has a full no-trade clause, he controls the destination. That situation pretty much zaps any negotiating power the Red Wings might have. That’s why, following this Larkin trade request, the organization could get a list of “approved” destinations.
If that’s indeed the case, Yzerman won’t have much room to maneuver.
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Could Larkin Pull a Panarin on Detroit?
There’s always the risk that this Larkin trade request comes with a situation similar to the one Artemi Panarin pulled on the New York Rangers.
At this season’s NHL trade deadline, Panarin, like Larkin, had a full no-trade clause. His representation informed the Rangers that he would only accept a trade to the LA Kings. That fact stripped Rangers’ GM Chris Drury of any real leverage.
In the end, the Rangers ended up getting an underwhelming return for one of the NHL’s biggest stars.
That’s the risk the Red Wings run with this Larkin trade request. The 2026 gold-medal winner could sit back and dictate which team(s) he wants to play for. Under those circumstances, a deal may not be nearly as favorable for the Red Wings.
There is still plenty of ground to cover here. But one has to think that Larkin will be on the move in the lead-up to the 2026 NHL Draft.
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