Over the last couple of days, more reports have emerged from around the hockey world on the state of the trade situation with Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin.
The most notable came this past Saturday on Rogers Saturday Night Hockey, during his Saturday Headlines segment, when Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman explained that with some teams showing little interest, Larkin’s ten-team trade list may be altered, with some teams removed in favor of other interested parties.
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Reports have suggested that a large number of the teams on the list are either not interested in Larkin or not believed to be in range to get him, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights. That could open the door for other reportedly interested teams, like the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues, to get their offers in front of Larkin.
“Some teams like Florida and Vegas, even Colorado, it’s very hard to see anything like that happening if not impossible, I do think it’s possible [he] may take some teams off or possibly even add some,” Friedman explained.
“He has a 10 team trade list; I think over the next 24 to 48 hours, it’s possible we see that trade list altered.”
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The changes could put further pressure on the teams reportedly most interested in the 30-year-old forward to improve their offers, like the Minnesota Wild and the Washington Capitals.
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According to reports from both Friedman and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the Capitals have started to push for Larkin, with former 2024 third-round pick Ilya Protas expected to be the main piece in the return package. The Belarusian winger isn’t a center like Detroit is reportedly looking for, but he has shown promise, with nine points through his first 16 NHL games.
Friedman also reported last Friday on Sportsnet that the Wild have an offer on the table that Minnesota believes is its best, one that “beats…any other team Larkin is willing to go to.”
The offer is reportedly centered around young forward and former first-round pick Danila Yurov, along with multiple first-round picks. Friedman said he believes Larkin is aware of some of the offers, and his working theory is that Larkin is sitting out of the Red Wings lineup because he believes acceptable offers are on the table and interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has yet to pull the trigger.
With pressure continuing to mount and potential changes coming to Larkin’s trade list, the end of the trade saga may be within reach, allowing the Red Wings to start turning their attention elsewhere.
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