Detroit Red Wings center and captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request has drawn league-wide attention, but his destination options appear highly constrained resulting from his full no-movement clause, which provides him authority over where he might be dealt.
Larkin has provided Detroit with a “short list” of acceptable teams, in accordance with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.
One team that is just not currently believed to be on Larkin’s list of approved destinations is the Philadelphia Flyers, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reported on Sunday.
“Unsure what’s on the market straight away but per a source, the Flyers don’t consider they’re on Dylan Larkin’s “short list” in the meanwhile,” Larkin wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “These items can at all times change, after all, but that is where it’s at present.”
The Flyers finished as a playoff team last season, but they aren’t viewed as a transparent Stanley Cup contender at this stage despite having young talent.
Larkin has not been to the playoffs since his rookie season, and it’s assumed he may prioritize a winning situation. Nonetheless, the narrower the list of suitors, the more complicated the Red Wings’ return package becomes, since elite contenders often lack high draft picks or deep prospect pools.
Larkin is signed for five more seasons at a $8.7 million average annual value, a contract considered team-friendly in the present NHL market. Comparable blockbuster center trades include Ryan O’Reilly’s 2018 move to the St. Louis Blues and Jack Eichel’s 2021 trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, each of which returned a mixture of top prospects, first- and second-round picks, and roster players.
Detroit’s general manager Steve Yzerman now faces multiple scenarios, including the potential for a “hockey trade” focused on NHL-ready players relatively than futures, or potentially waiting deeper into the offseason, and even into the season, if offers fall short.
The Red Wings also still face roster needs including top-line left wing, second-line center, and depth scoring, now compounded by uncertainty at top-line center. Forward Alex DeBrincat, who led Detroit with 41 goals and 85 points last season, is entering the ultimate yr of his deal at age 29 in December and stays a central figure.
The Red Wings’ young core includes Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson, Marco Kasper, and Emmitt Finnie, with prospects akin to Nate Danielson, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Carter Bear, and Max Plante in development. The organization also doesn’t currently hold a first-round pick after a previous trade involving Justin Faulk, though that would change in a Larkin deal.
Detroit Red Wings center and captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request has drawn league-wide attention, but his destination options appear highly constrained resulting from his full no-movement clause, which provides him authority over where he might be dealt. Larkin has provided Detroit with a “short list” of acceptable teams, in accordance with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.