Exploring Realistic Dylan Larkin Trade Options
Well, it happened. Elliotte Friedman has reported that Dylan Larkin has requested a trade out of Detroit. With Red Wings beat writer Max Bultman confirming, the news looks to be real.
It is difficult to imagine Yzerman will want to carry Larkin into training camp to start next season. And while Steve will also certainly not be in a rush to make a move, nor be coerced into a bad deal, it likely behooves the Red Wings’ general manager to sort it out now before the potential locker room problem becomes any worse.
So with that in mind, let us explore some realistic trade options for Dylan Larkin.
The Prerequisites
First thing we need to establish is this: what do the Detroit Red Wings need in a trade package involving Larkin? Detroit lacks serious center depth beyond him so any offer should include multiple of the following: strong center prospects, young and established NHL centers, or top picks that would allow the Red Wings to acquire a center. While the news is dire, this is a good opportunity in disguise for Detroit; they now have the excuse to reset their contention window around a younger core.
Next, we should analyze the needs of teams around the league and figure out who would most want a 29-year old (he’s 30 next month) top-line center. Examining roster projections for 2026-27, these teams stand out to me: the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately for Detroit, that is a lot of teams in the Atlantic and in the East. That likely means it will be difficult for Detroit to fetch an in-division or in-conference premium. The leak of this news also means the Red Wings have lost a bit of leverage.
Finally, we should also understand that Larkin has a full no-trade clause on the books until the final three seasons of his contract, so he has the power to veto any trade to a destination he does not like. This likely excludes most western and Canadian teams, but given that Los Angeles is a destination that players tend to like, I will choose to not filter them out here. Fortunately for Detroit, there is likely good alignment on where Larkin would want to go and who would need him.
The Likely Realistic Options
For appropriate and likely trade value, I am considering several factors: Larkin is a top-15 center in the NHL, but about to be 30, his best years are behind him, he has a history of wear and tear, and has shown signs of slowing down, especially with his injury and pace struggles in March. However the positional premium of centers seems to be on the rise, which should at least counteract the loss of leverage The Wings have endured. It is also a tough reality that any team who has a top-line center or near-future top-line center under 30 years of age is not going to deal them for Dylan Larkin, so the Wings will have to be content with an assortment of pieces to make up the value.
With the expanding salary cap, I do not think it will be a concern that a team cannot afford Larkin’s extremely reasonable $8.7M cap hit, so we are left to examine the best-possible trade package that each team might realistically tender. I will sort these packages into three tiers: “Good Try”, “Decent Offer”, and “The Best”, and try to keep the packages as simple as possible for the purpose of conversation. By no means am I intending to rule out a multiple-player trade.
With that in mind, here are what I believe to be the realistic trade packages Detroit will encounter:
—“Good Try”—
Los Angeles Kings
To LAK: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C Jimmy Lombardi, 2026 LAK 17th Overall, 2026 CBJ 43rd Overall, 2027 LAK 1st Round Pick, 2028 LAK 1st Round Pick
Los Angeles can do little more than offer a decent prospect and a bucket of picks. Byfield is likely untouchable and nothing else makes sense if their goal is to contend while Panarin, Kempe, Fiala, and Doughty are relevant. This is not likely to be a good deal for Detroit, but Ken Holland is certain to kick the tires on Larkin. The Red Wings could find some decent center prospects at 17 and 43 in this year’s draft, but whether or not they will be able to make a difference fast enough would be up for debate.
Minnesota Wild
To MIN: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C Charlie Stramel, 2027 MIN 1st Round Pick, 2028 MIN 1st Round Pick, 2029 MIN 1st Round Pick
It is no secret that Team USA General Manager Bill Guerin, also GM of the Minnesota Wild, has been on the hunt for a top-line center to turn the Wild into a true cup contender. Dylan Larkin would surely do that, but this is likely the best they can do. Even with Larkin’s affordable salary, they will be up against the cap. They cannot afford to move more than one cheap and young player. Stramel is a good prospect out of Michigan State, and three first round picks could be enticing, but they will be late-firsts and Stramel projects as more of a middle-six center. Minnesota can only do so much here.
Philadelphia Flyers
To PHI: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C Jack Nesbitt, C Jett Luchanko, 2026 PHI 21st Overall, 2027 TOR 1st Round Pick
If the Red Wings are high on hard-working centers like Nesbitt and Luchanko, they could be enticed by a package like this from Philadelphia. While neither is likely to be a top-six center, there is possibility, and the addition of two firsts could be enough. If I am Yzerman though, I think other teams could do better, and I am not that high on Nesbitt or Luchanko as realistic solutions. Still, this would at least be an opportunity to replenish the center prospect cupboard.
With Larkin, Philadelphia gets a center that meshes with their team identity and helps stabilize their forward group. They had a great run into the playoffs this season, but their lack of center depth was plainly apparent against Carolina. I do not fully know if they would be interested in Larkin, but it would align with their nonstop retooling attempts.
Tampa Bay Lightning
To TBL: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C/RW Sam O’Reilly, C Ethan Czata, 2026 TBL 58th Overall, 2027 TBL 2nd Round Pick, 2028 TBL 1st Round Pick
Tampa will be hard-pressed to come up with a reasonable offer here. It will have to comprise mostly of high-end draft picks, of which they do not have many due to having spent most of them already. Sam O’Reilly has a reputation as a strong two-way forward prospect and was the top center on this year’s Memorial Cup-winning Kitchener Rangers. Ethan Czata was also drafted as a center, but it is unclear if he has been playing center full-time for Niagara. He would be more of a throw-in for this deal. However, it is unclear if O’Reilly is more than a middle-six center, and Tampa’s picks would likely be later picks. Detroit might struggle to find center options with this haul.
Tampa’s depth across the lineup has dwindled as they have gotten further from their cap-circumventing cup wins. Brayden Point struggled to produce this year and Anthony Cirelli is a good but not great second-line center. Plugging Larkin into their second line would add some more offensive juice and help to rebuild their top-six on offense, making them contenders once more.
Toronto Maple Leafs
To TOR: Dylan Larkin
To DET: 2026 TOR 1st Overall
Yep that’s it, that’s the trade. Detroit gets their top pick in a draft with no elite centers available. Maybe they really, really like Malhotra, or are perfectly fine with taking a winger like McKenna or Stenberg.
Toronto staves the death of their cup window by bolstering their top-six to fill the Marner-sized hole and alleviating pressure on an aging John Tavares. There is not much more to this, but it is the best they can do short of selling more of the future. I don’t think Toronto offers this though, and I am not sure Detroit would accept, but Larkin’s grandmother would be happy, so it felt right to include.
—”Decent Offer”—
Columbus Blue Jackets
To CBJ: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C/W Kent Johnson, LD Jackson Smith, 2026 CBJ 14th Overall, 2026 STL 43rd Overall
Detroit gets an interesting reclamation project in former top-10 pick Kent Johnson, a top-10 defensive prospect in Jackson Smith who could replace Chiarot when his extension is done, and two high picks in this year’s draft that could be used on centers such as Tynan Lawrence or Oliver Suvanto. I am uncertain if this really matches the value Detroit is looking for, but it is the best Columbus can muster short of selling more picks or moving Adam Fantilli, who I expect to be untouchable for them. If that is somehow not the case (Columbus would have to be quite dumb to move Fantilli, even for Larkin), then that of course changes things.
“Best Friends” jokes aside, Columbus gets a proper 1st line center for the first time since…maybe that one good season of Pierre-Luc Dubois, or possibly ever? The Jackets have never had a center of Larkin’s caliber, and with Werenski getting older, I think they would try for Larkin in order to be relevant in their window. Anything is on the table for them apart from the one piece Detroit would want most in Fantilli. This is still good value for Detroit though, Smith would solve their defense for the next decade.
Boston Bruins
To BOS: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C Fraser Minten, C William Moore, 2026 BOS 23rd Overall, 2028 FLA 1st Round Pick
Boston can tender a strong package for Dylan Larkin. They have multiple first-round picks in the next three drafts that are not their own, a strong prospect pool, and a good roster of players under 30. For meeting Detroit’s needs though, it could be a difficult job. Their best prospects all attend or have attended Boston College. They already live in Boston, a city that is fantastic to live and be young in, and they have East Coast ties as well. With Hagens and Letourneau likely not interested going to Detroit, the package would have to build around young center Fraser Minten. Minten had a strong rookie season with 35 points in 82 games and looked quite good. Two firsts and center prospect William Moore as a sweetener in addition to the youngster would likely get it done. Minten could be a second-line center sooner rather than later.
With Larkin, Boston finally fixes the center problem they have been working around since the retirement of Patrice Bergeron. Their team goal is to compete for a cup with Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman, and Larkin helps them do just that. It is hard to imagine Boston would not be all over this opportunity, unless they truly believe that one of their three young centers will reach Larkin’s level sooner rather than later.
—”The Best”—
Florida Panthers
To FLA: Dylan Larkin
To DET: C Anton Lundell, 2026 FLA 9th Overall, 2026 FLA 40th Overall
This is probably the best option for Detroit and similar trade concepts appear to be leading the way in early discussion online. They get an established middle-six center in Anton Lundell who has cup-winning experience, plays the game the right way, and still has room to grow into a top-six center role at just 24 years old (he turns 25 in October). At 9th overall this year, the Red Wings have a shot at a handful of high-end center options. The most-popular of these among online pundits and podcasters is definitely Viggo Bjorck, a Swedish center who played his entire draft year in the SHL and sports a high-energy, high-skill game that aligns very well with Detroit’s drafting mindset (aka he “has that dawg”). An additional 40th overall pick to spend on another center prospect would do wonders to quickly dig Detroit back out of this hole, or could be used to trade up to an even higher pick. Florida even has additional second-round picks they could throw in to sweeten the deal if it were required.
Florida tunes their forward depth to gear up for another cup run. Larkin can play behind Barkov, push down Bennett to the third line or to the wing, and will likely thrive under the reduced pressure to save a team from itself. Higher-skilled linemates in Verhaeghe and Marchand would undoubtedly help him get his 5-on-5 game back to relevancy. His Team USA buddy in Matthew Tkachuk would also certainly be thrilled by this addition. With Bobrovsky’s likely departure, they can absolutely afford it in every way, and the deal is one I think both franchises would be happy with.
“But what about [insert team here]?”
Really quick, here is a one-liner for the rest of the teams in the league why I do not see them making or competing with any kind of offer:
Anaheim Ducks: No centers or picks good-enough to trade, Leo Carlsson is their guy and if Verbeek dislikes McTavish, so will Yzerman.
Buffalo Sabres: Larkin likely doesn’t wait and they are already struggling to afford Alex Tuch.
Calgary Flames: They are in the middle of a full rebuild.
Carolina Hurricanes: They are already cup contenders.
Chicago Blackhawks: A 29/30-year old center does not do anything for their rebuild.
Colorado Avalanche: They have plenty of centers already on long-term contracts
Dallas Stars: They also have plenty of centers already on long-term contracts.
Edmonton Oilers: They cannot afford Larkin and Larkin does not waive for this organizational disaster.
Montreal Canadiens: Suzuki and Hage are their centers to contend with.
Nashville Predators: I don’t think they are looking to get even older.
New Jersey Devils: A Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier trade for Larkin would be a sideways move for both franchises.
New York Islanders: If Barzal is on the trade block, it is tough to imagine them wanting Larkin.
New York Rangers: J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad already have the veteran top-six center roles locked down.
Ottawa Senators: Tim Stutzle and Dylan Cozens are younger, cheaper, and maybe even better.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Dubas is exclusively bargain hunting to amass assets for the rebuild that will occur when Crosby retires.
San Jose Sharks: Why get older when Mackin Celebrini and Michael Misa are their centers of the future?
Seattle Kraken: They are still trying to build their way into becoming a good team, but I think they continue to do that through the draft rather than selling early on Jake O’Brien or Berkly Catton.
St. Louis Blues: I don’t see Larkin waiving for St. Louis and they aren’t giving Detroit Thomas or their 1st back.
Utah Mammoth: Tij Iginla and Logan Cooley are their future, they are happy to be young and fun.
Vancouver Canucks: They are in the middle of their teardown, no quick retool to be found here.
Vegas Golden Knights: They are already cup contenders.
Washington Capitals: Likely in a holding pattern until Ovechkin’s future crystallizes.
Winnipeg Jets: I do not see Larkin waiving for Winnipeg, even for Kyle Connor.
Afterthoughts
As I previously stated above, this is indeed an opportunity in disguise for Detroit. They have struggled with the split-core situation of trying to contend within Larkin’s window, while not selling the future that could be built around Seider and Raymond. It was always going to be a major challenge once it became fully realized just how badly Ken Holland botched the 2017 and 2018 drafts at the start of the rebuild.
With this trade likely on the horizon (I cannot imagine Yzerman is too happy about the news leaking), it means Detroit can commit to building around their young players. Will that lead to an unloading of everyone over 26? It is possible, but fire sale feels unlikely. This team still wants to get better, not worse. I think we will see Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane on the opening night roster in October.
If there is one person who will benefit from this Dylan Larkin trade request announcement, it is likely to be Sebastian Cossa. Until this situation is resolved, I do not think people will care much for Detroit’s backup goalie situation.
What do you think? What trade package do you like the most? And is it over for Detroit? Let me know if you feel these trade packages are realistic or fair enough. I am sure there are some Detroit fans already unhappy with the idea of these packages and not getting a top-six center in return, but it does take two to tango, as they say.
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Thanks for the article. I feel like Utah is a possibility. They have pushed and made aggressive moves since the ownership change and Larkin might like like playing with a team USA teammate in Keller. Would they send Desnoyers + picks? I could see it.