Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is expected to report to training camp and begin the new season after no trade came together in the offseason.
Larkin requested a move out of Detroit shortly after the 2025-26 season ended. According to reports, the lack of playoff hockey and a strained relationship with former GM Steve Yzerman are believed to be the main drivers behind the demand.
Notably, most interested teams have since moved on, either because of limited interest or a shortage of matching assets. On a recent edition of TSN OverDrive, Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan broke down Larkin’s situation. Hayes made a strong case for Montreal:
“All along, Larkin to Montreal just makes sense. Suzuki and Larkin as your one-two punch, with the firepower already on the wings and a deep prospect pool—that’s a perfect fit. And he’s locked up long-term like the rest of their core.”
McLennan agreed on the practical side:
“You’re not dropping a $13-million player into a cap structure where Noah Dobson is your highest-paid guy at nine-and-a-half. Caufield and Larkin already skate together in the summer, so it’s not like he’d be walking into a room of strangers. It’s not like there’s no Americans there.”
Hayes added:
“Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield are both there.”
According to reports, Larkin could be stripped of his captaincy amid his uncertain future and unresolved trade request.
Dylan Larkin’s secondary trade destinations hit major roadblocks
Dylan Larkin indicated he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for a short list of teams that included the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars.
However, according to veteran writer Ansar Khan, those secondary destinations have run into significant obstacles.
“His secondary choices – Florida, Vegas and Dallas – either have little interest, insufficient cap space, or no desire to part with what it would take,” Khan wrote via MLive.
Dylan Larkin has five seasons remaining on his eight-year, $69.6 million contract with the Red Wings. The 30-year-old has been with the club for over a decade now since being drafted No. 15 overall in the 2014 NHL draft.
Larkin amassed 67 points through 34 goals and 33 assists this past season.
Also Read: Dylan Larkin’s preferred trade destinations face hurdles with limited interest and cap space
Edited by Abhishek Dilta
