Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff penned a bit of an editorial article this morning in discussing both Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck’s trade requests. As far as Duff is concerned, both Detroit’s Larkin and Winnipeg’s Hellebuyck deserve some blame for what they’re doing:
We get it. Pro sports is a business. And business is business. Larkin and Hellebuyck have the right to do what they think is best for them.
That said, their teams have every right to be angry, perhaps even offended, by these players’ actions. And certainly, so does each team’s fanbase.
Their teams stepped up for these players. They made long-term commitments. Larkin will earn $8.7 million a year over the next five years. Hellebuyck will pull down $8.5 million each of the next five NHL seasons.
When they signed these deals, those prices were at the high end of NHL contracts. That’s no longer the case. This summer, with significant upward movement in the NHL salary cap, top players are signing for $18-$20 million per season. Whoever ultimately gets Larkin or Hellebuyck will basically be getting a bargain.
That commitment from their teams isn’t being honored. And again, no one is saying that Larkin or Hellebuyck don’t have the right to ask to be moved. But both players must remember that business is a two-way street.Their teams aren’t going to just give away key assets. They will wait for a deal that works for them, which is their right.
As for the fans, they don’t want to hear about business. They’re all about passion. Their loyalty is to the jersey that Larkin and Hellebuyck no longer want to wear.
Continued; Duff also discusses the numbers that will be worn by Detroit’s new players this upcoming season, which DetroitHockey.net’s Clark Rasmussen covered last Thursday…
And I get that Larkin and Hellebuyck are empowering themselves in an era where players are “finally” taking control of the directions which their careers take…
But, at the same time, I agree with Duff. A long-term, big-money contract is like a marriage deal with a team, and far too many players are choosing to divorce their teams for greener pastures these days.
As Duff ultimately suggests, fans will have every right to boo Larkin and Hellebuyck if one or both players start the 2026-2027 season in Detroit or Winnipeg, respectively.
