Capitals Could Be a Sneaky Contender in Dylan Larkin Trade Sweepstakes

The Washington Capitals might have a better shot at Dylan Larkin than people realize. With the Detroit Red Wings center reportedly willing to waive his no-trade clause for 10 teams, Washington is now among the potential landing spots — and it has the young talent to make Detroit think twice.

Larkin's situation in Detroit has been building for months. After requesting a trade last June, the former Red Wings captain remains with the team, but the possibility of a fresh start is still on the table. According to ESPN, Larkin has expanded his list of preferred destinations, giving Detroit more options as it looks for a deal.

The full list includes the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Mammoth, Vegas Golden Knights and Capitals.

That's a pretty competitive group, but Washington shouldn't be overlooked.

Any deal for Larkin would come at a price. Detroit isn't simply going to give away a top-six center, especially one who has recorded 646 points over his NHL career. The question is whether the Capitals can put together an offer that makes sense for both sides.

They certainly have some pieces to work with.

Prospects Cole Hutson, Lynden Lakovic and Ilya Protas could be appealing to a Detroit team looking to add young talent. If the Red Wings want players who can contribute sooner rather than later, Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois could also enter the conversation.

Obviously, parting with any of those players would come with a cost for Washington. The Capitals would need to weigh the value of adding Larkin against what they'd be giving up, and there's no guarantee Detroit would be satisfied with the available pieces.

The financial side also matters. Larkin is in the fourth season of an eight-year, $69.6 million contract, carrying an $8.7 million annual cap hit. Washington would need to make the money work while ensuring a potential deal doesn't leave the roster short elsewhere.

Larkin is 30 and has spent his entire NHL career in Detroit, missing the playoffs in 10 of his 11 seasons. A change of scenery could give him a fresh start, while Washington would get an established forward who could make an immediate impact.

The Capitals would face stiff competition from teams with legitimate championship aspirations, and there's still plenty that needs to fall into place for a trade to happen.

It also wouldn't be a surprise if the Avalanche try to make a desperate move to grab Larkin given the tendency for injuries to creep on them toward the end of the season.

But the fact that Washington is on Larkin's list is worth paying attention to. The Capitals have young players Detroit could covet and NHL talent that could help facilitate a deal.

Washington might not be the obvious favorite to land Larkin, but it has enough to offer that the possibility shouldn't be dismissed.