Trading for Dylan Larkin makes sense for the New Jersey Devils, unless the deal includes Nico Hischier.
Sunny Mehta is going to attempt to make a big splash to kick off his tenure as New Jersey Devils General Manager. This team has shown flashes of being close to a contender, but the bottom continues to fall out.
One player who may help out with that is Dylan Larkin, who asked for a trade away from the Detroit Red Wings. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet announced that on Thursday afternoon.
Larkin can play center or wing and is a high-end offensive forward. The Devils need players like him to help complement the core that they have been building.
Although Larkin would be great for New Jersey, it would not be wise to have him come at the cost of Nico Hischier. It only makes sense to have him join Hischier, along with Jack Hughes, as a trio of dynamic forwards.
Hischier is 2.5 years younger than Larkin, and they produce offense at very similar rates. Hischier is also an all-world defensive player. Larkin is far from a slouch on that side of the puck, but he’s not Hischier. It would be a downgrade for the Devils in multiple facets if they were traded for each other.
If New Jersey did trade for Larkin and Hischier wasn’t involved, what might get a deal done? The 12th overall pick would likely be involved for sure. Young players like Dawson Mercer, Simon Nemec, and Arseny Gritsyuk may also be part of a package, depending on what Detroit is looking for.
Larkin made the playoffs once in his NHL career, and it was in his rookie year. That doesn’t mean he has no big-game experience, however, as he is fresh off winning the Gold Medal in Milano Cortina at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Larkin has been a notable figure in the eyes of the Hughes family over the years, so he’d already have that off-ice chemistry with Jack and Luke Hughes right off the jump. It certainly wouldn’t hurt the quest to eventually land Quinn Hughes either.
No matter what, if Sunny Mehta’s goal is to compete in 2026-27, there is nothing bad that could come of acquiring Larkin, as long as Nico Hischier is involved. If they made a deal like this and extended the captain’s contract, brighter days would follow on the ice.
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