It's been two months since Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin's trade request was made public, but any attempts to move him could be on hold as the Red Wings search for a new general manager.
It’s been two months since news broke that Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin had requested a trade.
It was reported that the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers were his preferred destinations, though it’s rumored that he also included the Dallas Stars on that list.
So far, there’s no indication that the Red Wings are close to honoring the 30-year-old Larkin’s request.
One reason is that the search for a new general manager is ongoing after the Red Wings announced last month that Steve Yzerman was moving into a senior advisor role to team owner Chris Ilitch.
Yzerman continues to handle the day-to-day management, but any attempt to move Larkin seems to be on hold until the new GM is found.
Max Bultman of The Athletic believes it’s still early in the hiring process. He pointed out that no other NHL clubs are seeking new management, so the Red Wings aren’t facing pressure to make a quick hire.
Meanwhile, The Detroit News reported NHL analyst John Shannon believes the search for Yzerman’s replacement could stretch into September.
That raises the possibility that Larkin might not be going anywhere this season.
Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now observed that the prediction betting site Kalshi had 75 percent of participants anticipating that Larkin will still be in the Red Wings’ lineup when the regular season begins next month.
Allen also noted that, of those who still believe Larkin will get traded, 72 percent had him going to the Wild. However, he indicated that trade discussions between the two clubs failed to find common ground.
The Red Wings aren’t interested in the young players the Wild have offered, preferring to get at least one established NHL player as part of the return.
According to a report by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos last month, the Red Wings’ asking price was winger Matt Boldy. However, the Wild have no intention of moving him.
Allen also pointed out that the Wild have limited salary-cap space, meaning they’d have to part with a salaried player or two to free up cap space for Larkin’s $8.7 million average annual value.
A one-for-one swap for Boldy and his $7 million AAV would address that issue, but again, the Wild aren’t parting with him.
Whoever replaces Yzerman will have more than just Larkin’s situation to sort out. They must also sign restricted free-agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson and determine the future of winger Alex DeBrincat, who becomes eligible for unrestricted free agent status next July.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
