Dylan Larkin has requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings, and a new report from Helene St. James indicates that the Florida Panthers are one of the three teams the 29-year-old is open to being traded to.
Just a few days ago, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that Dylan Larkin had requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings.
This came as a surprise, given that Larkin is the franchise’s captain and has spent his entire 11-year NHL career in Detroit. But with another failed attempt to make the playoffs and disagreements with management, Larkin hit his breaking point and requested a trade.
Larkin has played as a No. 1 center for the Red Wings, averaging around 30 goals and 70 points a season. While he may be suited as a second-line center, his speed, two-way game, and leadership are qualities that will instantly elevate a team to contender status.
Now, just three days after the trade request, Helene St. James, a reporter from the Detroit Free Press, has stated that Larkin is open to accepting trades to three teams: the Minnesota Wild, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Florida Panthers.
Larkin owns an $8.7 million cap hit and is entering year five of the eight-year contract. He also currently has a full no-move clause, which gives him the final say on where he ends up. We now know his ideal destinations.
Each situation makes sense for Larkin. In Minnesota, he’d play at the No. 1 center but wouldn’t have to be the play driver offensively with players like Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Quinn Hughes, and he wouldn’t have to be the shutdown center either, as Joel Eriksson Ek excels in that role.
In Vegas, Jack Eichel is the superstar No. 1 center, and they have play drivers like Mitch Marner who will help Larkin succeed.
In Florida, the center depth is almost unheard of, and it’s a challenge to see where he could fit in the lineup, but when a player of Larkin’s quality becomes available, you worry about the fit after you acquire him. Similar to Vegas, Aleksander Barkov takes on the No. 1 duties, giving Larkin easier matchups and a lesser role.
The other interesting factor in these Larkin discussions is his trade value. Will he fetch a price similar to what Eichel and Hughes acquired? Could it cost the Panthers a similar price to what they paid to land Matthew Tkachuk? Or would the Panthers need to give up the ninth overall pick for Larkin?
It’s hard to see the Panthers being willing to give up Anton Lundell, although the Red Wings will likely try their hardest to have him included in any discussions. GM Bill Zito had never once been afraid to pull the trigger on a big splash, so Larkin is definitely in play for the Panthers, even if the logistics are difficult.
And if the Panthers are in pursuit of Larkin, they’ll be required to balance their time with a possible goalie search or contract discussions with Sergei Bobrovsky as well.
The 29-year-old Larkin will likely expand his trade destinations, but for now, the Panthers are among the three teams leading the race.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. 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.