Red Wings Assistant GM Scouts Wild as Two Players Linked to Dylan Larkin Trade Talks Shine

Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper was in attendance for Sunday's game between the Minnesota Wild and Washington Capitals, adding another interesting wrinkle to the ongoing Dylan Larkin trade speculation.

Two Wild forwards who have been connected to potential trade discussions involving Larkin made their presence felt with Draper watching.

Danila Yurov found the back of the net, while Bobby Brink recorded two assists against Washington.

Both players have been mentioned as potential pieces in a trade package involving the Red Wings captain, making Draper's presence particularly noteworthy.

Of course, NHL executives regularly attend games to evaluate players, and Draper's attendance does not necessarily mean a trade is close or that either forward was his primary focus.

Still, the timing is interesting.

Yurov is one of Minnesota's promising young forwards, while Brink has established himself as another intriguing offensive piece. Both could appeal to a Detroit organization evaluating potential returns in a blockbuster deal.

Yurov is up to five goals on the season, and three of them when a member of the Red Wings front office is in attendance. 

Whether Draper's visit was directly connected to the Larkin discussions remains unknown, but the performances of Yurov and Brink certainly provided something for the Red Wings executive to evaluate.

See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source

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.