The Detroit Red Wings captain, Dylan Larkin, has officially requested a trade, signalling a possible end of an era. A change in scenery is what's best for Larkin and could also bring the best out of him.
On Thursday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shocked the hockey world when he reported that Dylan Larkin, a native of Michigan, requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings.
Larkin, the captain of the team, has spent all 11 seasons of his NHL career with the Red Wings, scoring 276 goals and 643 points in 808 games. Individually, Larkin has had plenty of success, but the Red Wings as a team have not.
The organization holds the longest active playoff drought in the NHL, a complete 180 from their dominance in the 90s, 2000s, and even the early 2010s.
The Red Wings haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2015-16 season, Larkin’s rookie campaign. To make matters worse, they were eliminated in five games in the first round, and Larkin scored just one goal.
Following that season, the Red Wings began their rebuild, finishing in the bottom 10 of the NHL standings seven consecutive times, including a league-worst record in 2019-20. To say Larkin’s tenure in Detroit has been miserable is an understatement.
In the past three NHL seasons, the Red Wings either held a playoff position at some point or were just outside a playoff spot, but late-season collapses cost them a chance to make the post-season.
While much of the blame can be placed on the Red Wings’ front office’s lack of urgency in the trade market during the season or their pursuit of top free agents in the off-season, blame still falls on the players, and Larkin does not get to avoid the criticism.
Larkin has either led or finished as a top-three scorer on the Red Wings in all but his first two NHL seasons. He has a career high of 34 goals, which he set this season, and a career high of 79 points.
While those numbers are nothing to scoff at, they aren’t upper-echelon No. 1 center numbers. Including the fact that he has only received Selke Trophy votes just once, the Red Wings aren’t receiving enough from arguably the most valuable position in the game.
That’s not entirely Larkin’s fault. Larkin is simply playing the role he is being asked to play, but if he isn’t at the level that role requires, it’s on the management staff to either lessen the load or find a player who can adequately fill it.
Rumors this year indicated that GM Steve Yzerman was interested in doing so, as the Red Wings were linked to players like Vincent Trocheck and Robert Thomas, but nothing came to fruition, and Larkin was left trying to play a role he wasn’t cut out for in a pressure-filled time.
That brings us to where we stand now: Larkin is fed up and wants out.
While there is an honor among NHL players about playing for one team for their entire career and a level of responsibility when wearing the ‘C,’ a change in scenery might truly be best for Larkin.
With a full no-trade clause on his current $8.7-million-per-year contract that doesn’t expire until 2031, Larkin will have the final say on where he ends up. He’ll likely choose a contending team and a system that fits him.
Immediately, the ideal situation feels like the Minnesota Wild.
At 29 years old, Larkin fits the timeline of the rest of the roster and will be playing alongside several players who are as skilled as he is or better. He could skate on the top line with Kirill Kaprizov, providing defensive structure while also finding pockets of space to be successful. He doesn’t need to drive the offense on that line, as Kaprizov does that.
Or he could play with Matt Boldy, a player he is familiar with from USA's Olympic team, and would once again not be required to do all the heavy lifting in driving the play.
But the most important factor is that he would finally have the security of playing alongside Joel Eriksson Ek. Although they would hardly see the ice together at 5-on-5, Larkin would avoid the tough matchups and the shutdown responsibilities, as that is already placed on Eriksson Ek.
That’s what Larkin needs. Larkin needs to be either a full offensive force on a high-scoring line or the second-line center with a superstar center on the top line. Larkin had plenty of success at the Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off with Team USA because he didn’t have to play the most challenging minutes.
Minnesota provides a unique situation because of their roster construction, but teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Anaheim Ducks have bona fide, proven No. 1 centers. Larkin could slot comfortably on the second line of any of those rosters and still play with skilled players.
In all, Larkin has the size, speed, and game for the playoffs, but he needs the opportunity with the right role and roster construction to showcase it. A move to a contending team will be the best decision for Larkin.
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