- Dylan Larkin posted a lone Fourth of July photo with best friend Zach Werenski
- The picture sparked Blue Jackets trade talk even though Columbus isn’t on his radar
- Read below for where Larkin’s trade market actually stands
Dylan Larkin gave hockey Twitter a gift on the Fourth of July.
The Red Wings captain posted one Instagram story that day. It was a photo of him and Zach Werenski, and nothing else.
That was all it took. With Werenski’s name parked in the middle of the trade market and Larkin already asking Detroit for a move, people jumped to the obvious theory. Maybe the two best friends want to line up together in Columbus.
Here’s Elliotte Friedman breaking down where the Larkin situation actually stands:
It’s a fun thought. It also falls apart fast.
Columbus hasn’t shown up on any of the destinations linked to Larkin. And Werenski isn’t the one going anywhere.
Werenski spent weeks as the biggest name on the block. Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported that rival GMs were frustrated they couldn’t even get the Blue Jackets to engage.
Then he vetoed a trade to Dallas and told the Blue Jackets he wants to stay put. So much for a reunion.
These two go back about as far as teammates can. They grew up near Detroit, won a national title together at 14, roomed together at Michigan, and wore the same Team USA sweater at the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Olympics.
On top of that, Werenski is getting married in Columbus this month, with Larkin in the wedding party. A picture of the two of them right now has a lot more to do with that than with Steve Yzerman’s phone.
Larkin’s real trade market is the part worth watching. Yzerman confirmed the request after the draft and made it clear he isn’t dealing his captain for a weak return.
Detroit holds the cards here. Larkin is 29, carries a full no-trade clause, and is signed through 2031 at $8.7 million a year. Nobody is prying him loose over a holiday snapshot.
