Let’s just say that I’ve suspected this all along, per a transcript of TSN’s “Early Trading” segment from this afternoon on YouTube.
TSN/The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun spoke with Gino Reda about Vincent Trocheck’s standing with the New York Rangers, and the question segued into a discussion of Dylan Larkin’s status.
According to LeBrun, the Red Wings are in no hurry to trade Larkin, and this could go all summer–and into training camp–if Steve Yzerman doesn’t find a fair return for the Wings’ soon-to-be-former captain:
GINO REDA: The Rangers and Vincent Trocheck seem to agree that he should be on his way out of New York.
The sticking point there seems to be that the Rangers don’t want to give him away for nothing. Any progress there?
PIERRE LeBRUN: I think they’re going to regret not moving him at the March 6 trade deadline.
There was a lot of interest in him, and they decided to not move him and wait until the off-season. Of course, they couldn’t have predicted that Dylan Larkin would ask for a trade [from the Detroit Red Wings].
The reason I bring that up is that from talking to other people around the league is that the Rangers would prefer Larkin get traded first so that they can control the centre market with Trocheck.
It sounds great in theory, and maybe that’ll happen that way, but Larkin isn’t going anywhere until the Red Wings get what they’re asking for him. I know people might roll their eyes, but we’re talking about Steve Yzerman here [as general manager of the Red Wings].
From talking to other teams, what they’re telling me is that Detroit has told teams that if they don’t get their price met on Larkin, they’re willing to tell him to come back to training camp in September.
Any other team I’d say that’s posturing, but I believe it when teams tell me that about Yzerman.
Again, Larkin could move any day now. I’m just saying you don’t know how wise it is for the Rangers to sit and wait for a Larkin deal because I’m not sure how quickly that deal is coming.
Here’s the clip:
