- The Wild have offered multiple first-round picks for Dylan Larkin
- Detroit wants NHL-ready players, and Minnesota’s offers are built around futures
- Read below for how the other nine teams on Larkin’s list stack up
The Wild have put multiple first-round picks on the table for Dylan Larkin, and the Red Wings still haven’t bitten. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic laid out where the Larkin trade market stands in his latest Rumblings column.
LeBrun explained why Minnesota’s offers keep falling short.
“The Wild remain very interested. They’ve made multiple offers. The issue for Detroit seems to be the lack of immediate NHL talent in those offers, which are more futures-based. But I think the offers have included multiple first-round picks as part of a package. It’s not nothing.”
Here’s the column, which breaks down Larkin’s 10-team list:
The rest of the list is a mixed bag. LeBrun said the Hurricanes have “kicked this one around internally” and that he wouldn’t rule anything out with the Devils after the Hellebuyck trade. He added that the Capitals have engaged to some level, though he can’t tell how hard they’ve pushed, and that Ilya Protas would be an obvious target for Detroit in any package.
The Avalanche and Panthers, by his read, haven’t really been involved. Both are loaded at center. He also said he doesn’t think the Golden Knights or Stars are players here.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan offered a different read on Washington and Utah on Thursday:
LeBrun called the Canadiens the team that could “probably muster up the most attractive package.” He also noted that Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper has been at several Montreal games over the past two weeks. Larkin has ruled out all Canadian clubs, so that one goes nowhere unless he opens his list.
Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco added detail from the Minnesota side. Wild sources told him Detroit is being “unrealistic” in what it wants, and that there is no appetite to raise the offer after Larkin’s slow start. He has two goals and six points through 10 games.
Those sources also said goalie Jesper Wallstedt is not available in any Larkin deal. Danila Yurov and prospect Charlie Stramel have been the names floated, and one assistant GM told Di Marco those two won’t be enough on their own.
The Flyers could be a way around that. Di Marco reported Philadelphia would be willing to act as a third-party broker and absorb Yakov Trenin’s $3.5 million cap hit, with Stramel as the price. For more on how we got here, read our earlier coverage of the Wild making the most offers and Detroit suspending Larkin without pay.
Here’s the announcement from Thursday:
Larkin has said he won’t play until he’s traded, and the Wild are the team that has pushed hardest. LeBrun also tied the pursuit to Quinn Hughes, saying a Larkin deal would send a strong message to a pending UFA the Wild are trying to extend.
