The Detroit Red Wings’ captain, Dylan Larkin, has not changed his mind about where he wants to go, and his trade request is still very much active.
Bob Duff said this week that Larkin is still committed to the three locations he mentioned when the request was first made.
“Every sign we’re getting is that he still wants a trade and he’s still sticking with his three original teams: Florida, Minnesota, and Vegas,” Duff said on NHL Tonight.
The status in Detroit has not improved, and neither has that list. Larkin scored 34 goals, had a plus-3 rating, and tallied 67 points in 74 games last season.
Paul Maurice’s Florida team had a dismal 84-point season last year, finishing 40-38-4, but still concluded on a three-game winning streak.
Bill Guerin was already managing Quinn Hughes’ personal contract situation and a crowded blue line as Minnesota finished the season with 106 points, one of the league’s best regular seasons.
“Bob Duff: Regarding the Red Wings/Dylan Larkin trade request: All signs point to him still wanting a trade and still sticking with his three original teams: Vegas, Florida, and Minnesota – NHL Tonight (8/19).”
“NHLRR: There had been some thought that Dallas might also be in that group of teams; reports suggest the Wild may be his favorite, and the Wild may also be the team most eager to make a trade right now.”
Three teams have been chosen by Dylan Larkin, who wants to leave Detroit.
The group’s cleanest fit might be Vegas. Kelly McCrimmon has demonstrated that he will swap components to pursue a centre improvement after the Golden Knights concluded the season with 39-26-17 records for 95 points.
With his two-way mentality, size, speed, and game, Larkin would be a good fit for a contender’s middle six. It’s not negligible for a front office that’s considering making a deep playoff push.
Meanwhile, Detroit is left holding a captain who wants out and three suitors who each have their own roster issues.
Vegas, Minnesota, and Florida all lack an obvious additional piece that might serve as the focal point of a Larkin trade. This is precisely why it has gone on for months.
Steve Yzerman doesn’t have to sell Larkin quickly, and he’s demonstrated in the past that he won’t rush a deal just for the sake of completion.
Although waiting out a deadlock is a tactic, it’s also a wager that the market will improve with patience. It occasionally does. It sometimes turns uncomfortable.
For the time being, there are three clubs, one captain, and a Detroit front office that sets the tempo regardless of Larkin’s wishes.
