Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin examines 5 important offseason storylines which remain unresolved, and in Detroit, we’re familiar with storyline #1:
1. Dylan Larkin’s trade request
The hammer dropped in June when Detroit Red Wings captain Larkin, fed up after 10 consecutive playoff misses, asked for a ticket out of Hockeytown, requesting he be traded to the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights or Florida Panthers. Then-Wings GM Steve Yzerman publicly dug his heels in, insisting Larkin had five years left on his deal and that Detroit was under no obligation to force a trade if it didn’t feel right. But now Yzerman is out as GM, having stepped down from the post last week. Given Larkin had a frosty relationship with Yzerman, does his departure increase the odds of Larkin staying? He’s a Michigan native, don’t forget. Then again, given the fan base’s understandably charged reaction to him asking out, there may be no turning back. Still, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see it happening before training camp. For one, Detroit, uh, needs a GM in place to make the trade. Secondly: Larkin’s three-team list, which expanded to four with the Stars, consists of four teams who are seriously lacking in cap space at the moment, meaning they’d have to move some important players out to make a deal work. The Wild still seem like the frontrunner.
Continued;
- I don’t believe that the Red Wings and Larkin are going to mend fences. I’m certain that the organization will try to rectify the situation in any means possible, but once somebody asks “out” of Detroit, it’s hard to get back “in”;
- Yes, the Red Wings need to get a new management team in place ASAP, for both Larkin, Simon Edvinsson, Alex DeBrincat, etc. etc. There are many reasons for the Wings to expedite their GM search, but going too fast is a little dangerous in my opinion.
- If you’re interested in GM candidates, the Hockey Writers’ Tony Wolak posted a fine 10-candidate list of potential hires this morning;
- And it’s unofficial at this point, given that we don’t know what Vegas or Florida would offer, but the fact that The Athletic’s Michael Russo and Joe Smith keep insisting that the Wild are still interested in acquiring Larkin = the only information we have regarding any potential trade leads. All leads (the ones we’ve got) point toward Minnesota, for now, anyway.
