Trade discussions between the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings have seemingly gone silent, but following the captaincy strip of Dylan Larkin, could we expect trade talks to intensify?
On Friday, Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings provided one of the more anticipated updates to a trade request we've seen.
Larkin and the Red Wings announced via a statement that Larkin will attend the Red Wings training camp but will be stripped of the captaincy.
"Over the past couple of weeks, Red Wings leadership and I have had several in-depth discussions," Larkin said via the team's X account on Friday. "I've appreciated those candid conversations, and I will be at training camp with my teammates. "When new leadership is in place, we'll talk further about the direction of the team. We will keep those conversations private, and I will keep my focus on the season ahead and on the guys in that room."
Larkin has not committed to the Red Wings despite having five years remaining on his $8.7 million AAV contract. The Red Wings have been without a general manager since Steve Yzerman stepped down from that role.
Working a trade without a GM seems impossible, and it's likely why the Minnesota Wild have made no reported progress in a trade for Larkin, despite known interest.
Once Detroit has a GM in place, can we expect the Wild to re-engage in trade discussions and ramp up the intensity to get a deal done? That's possible, but the Wild also have internal situations to deal with, most notably the current contract discussions involving Quinn Hughes' future.
Larkin checks several boxes for the Wild. The Wild need another center to play in the top six and remove some pressure from the shoulders of Joel Eriksson Ek. Adding Larkin would let Eriksson Ek be the defensive center in the top six, easing the pressure to also be a high-producing forward.
At the same time, Larkin could shed some of the defensive duties he was assigned in Detroit while keeping his offensive responsibilities. Being paired next to Kirill Kaprizov and/or Matt Boldy would also remove some of the play-driving pressure he faced in Detroit.
Larkin's fit in Minnesota is seemingly perfect, but the Wild may have difficulties putting together a package to acquire the 30-year-old Olympic gold medalist. The Wild could find themselves in a position where they need to mortgage more of their future to improve the current roster.
If Guerin and the Wild management staff believe Larkin brings them closer to a Stanley Cup, pulling the trigger on a deal whenever the Red Wings are willing to discuss one is the correct move.
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