Sports Illustrated’s Nathan Smith offers a list of 5 priorities for the Red Wings’ next GM or president of hockey operations, and I’m raising an eyebrow regarding topic #5:
5. Trade Dylan Larkin
This may be controversial to some Red Wings fans, as many have accepted that Larkin is likely coming back ahead of the 2026/27 season despite his insistence on a trade, but it’s because he’s been so demanding of a trade that bringing him back just doesn’t make sense.
Unfortunately for Detroit, to get a deal done, they would likely need to lower their asking price to get it done, as some reports have revealed they are seeking a genuine 1C as a return piece for Larkin.
Simply put, none of the teams he wants to be dealt to are going to give up their best center to land a player that has been openly disgruntled with his current team, but the new GM will now just have to bite the bullet and move Larkin to avoid all of the speculation and potential locker room frustration.
This process would be made much, much easier if Larkin expanded his trade list, but as of right now, that doesn’t appear likely, so if the team needs to take a futures-based package from Minnesota to get it done, that’s the way it should be.
The team in the short and long term is better without a disgruntled captain leading the way when he clearly doesn’t want to be there.
Continued; I’d be fine with the Red Wings flipping some “futures” to a third team for a player or players that can help the team address its center depth, but simply giving up and going for Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel and a 1st round pick, the Wild’s rumored return…
I dunno about that.
