The Detroit Red Wings are making calls around the NHL, and their latest approach to the trade market could reveal how the Dylan Larkin saga eventually ends.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported during Sunday’s NHL on TNT coverage that Detroit has been contacting teams about young centres, including established NHL players and highly regarded prospects.
Here’s what makes the development interesting: Friedman couldn’t confirm whether those inquiries were directly connected to Dylan Larkin, unsigned defenseman Simon Edvinsson, or both.
Detroit’s interest in young centres first surfaced in Friedman’s October 22 reporting. Sunday’s update reinforced that the Red Wings are continuing to explore those options rather than settling for an underwhelming return.
With Larkin reportedly expanding his acceptable trade destinations from three teams to ten, the market is opening up. However, one significant problem remains.
Can interim general manager Shawn Horcoff find a young centre valuable enough to justify trading the player who has been the face of Detroit hockey for nearly a decade?
That question could determine whether a blockbuster happens or this situation drags further into the NHL season.
Detroit Red Wings Trade Rumors: What Elliotte Friedman Actually Reported
Friedman’s update followed his earlier comments on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, when he reported that Detroit was asking opposing teams about young NHL centres and prospects who haven’t reached the league.
According to Sportsnet’s October 22 report, multiple organizations had indicated that Detroit was exploring those types of players.
The message is significant, even if the trade discussions themselves remain unconfirmed.
For months, the Red Wings have struggled to find a return that satisfies their immediate competitive needs. Trading Larkin for draft picks alone would create another major hole in their lineup.
Targeting younger centres suggests Horcoff is looking for a player who can become part of Detroit’s next competitive core.
It does not necessarily mean the Red Wings are abandoning their goal of winning now.
Why Detroit’s Search for Young Centres Changes the Dylan Larkin Trade Market
Here’s my biggest takeaway from Friedman’s reporting: Detroit appears to be prioritizing positional value over collecting the largest number of assets.
There is a major difference between acquiring three promising players and acquiring one potential top-six NHL centre.
The Red Wings already have considerable uncertainty down the middle. Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson remain important parts of the organization’s future, but injuries have complicated their development.
Andrew Copp provides experience, while Emmitt Finnie has been used at centre. Neither situation eliminates the need for another dependable offensive option.
Moving Larkin without finding a credible replacement could leave Detroit in an even more difficult position.
That’s why I believe the organization would be justified in demanding a young centre with genuine top-six potential rather than accepting several secondary assets simply to finish a trade.
An unproven prospect with middle-six upside shouldn’t automatically become the centerpiece of a blockbuster involving a proven NHL first-line centre.
Dylan Larkin’s Recent Numbers Tell an Interesting Story
Through October 24, Larkin had recorded one goal, four assists, and five points in nine games.
His 28 shots on goal work out to approximately 3.1 per game, while his five points represent a 0.56 points-per-game pace.
Those aren’t explosive offensive numbers, but they don’t tell the entire story.
Larkin missed the beginning of the season because of an upper-body injury and has continued handling significant minutes, including demanding offensive and defensive assignments.
In my view, the Red Wings should put considerably more weight on his established NHL track record than a nine-game sample.
A contending team acquiring Larkin would be buying years of proven centre play, not merely his October scoring totals.
Could Simon Edvinsson Be Involved in Detroit’s Trade Discussions?
The Edvinsson situation introduces another complication.
On October 14, Horcoff publicly stated that he had zero interest in trading the 23-year-old defenseman. He emphasized that Detroit wanted to sign him.
However, Edvinsson remains an unsigned restricted free agent, and Friedman has reported that the player would prefer a trade.
That doesn’t mean Detroit has changed its position. It means Horcoff must prepare for several possibilities while negotiating with Edvinsson’s representatives.
My preference would be for Detroit to retain Edvinsson. Finding a young, mobile, 6-foot-6 defenseman capable of playing important minutes is exceptionally difficult.
Trading Larkin and Edvinsson without receiving foundational players in return could set the franchise back considerably.
The distinction matters: Detroit exploring young centres does not prove it has decided to trade either player.
Which NHL Teams Could Actually Trade for Dylan Larkin?
The biggest development in Larkin’s trade situation may be his reported willingness to consider significantly more destinations.
According to the October 20 Sportsnet report, the ten teams on his acceptable list are Florida, Minnesota, Vegas, Dallas, Washington, Carolina, Utah, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Colorado.
All ten are potential destinations, but appearing on Larkin’s list doesn’t mean a team has submitted an acceptable offer.
From my perspective, three situations deserve particular attention.
Minnesota Wild: Minnesota has been consistently connected to Larkin. Young centre Danila Yurov has reportedly been discussed, although insider Frank Seravalli indicated that Detroit wasn’t convinced he should be a central piece of the return.
Utah Mammoth: Utah is an intriguing theoretical fit because its combination of young talent and organizational flexibility could provide several ways to structure a deal. That is an assessment of fit, not confirmation of active negotiations.
New Jersey Devils: New Jersey’s inclusion on Larkin’s reported list makes the Devils worth watching. However, any serious proposal would require difficult decisions about young assets and long-term salary commitments.
The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes also deserve consideration, although specific proposals involving their players shouldn’t be treated as established facts without reliable reporting.
Why Minnesota’s Danila Yurov Could Be the Key to a Blockbuster
The reported disagreement involving Yurov explains why a trade that looks attractive on paper might not get completed.
According to Seravalli’s comments on Flames Now, Detroit had reservations about Yurov serving as one of the principal assets in a potential Minnesota package.
That’s a prospect valuation problem, not necessarily evidence that the Wild have stopped pursuing Larkin.
If Minnesota believes Yurov can develop into an effective top-six centre and Detroit sees him as a lower-upside player, adding another draft selection might not bridge the gap.
The Red Wings need to believe they are acquiring a meaningful part of their future.
I wouldn’t rule Minnesota out, but I also wouldn’t assume Yurov plus additional pieces automatically meets Detroit’s demands.
Dylan Larkin’s $8.7 Million Contract Creates Another Trade Challenge
Larkin carries an $8.7 million annual cap hit through the 2030-31 season.
With the NHL salary cap set at $104 million for 2026-27, his contract represents approximately 8.4% of the current league-wide ceiling.
That is a substantial commitment, particularly for contenders operating close to the cap.
Detroit could theoretically retain salary to improve the financial fit, but doing so would create a commitment lasting through the remainder of Larkin’s contract.
A trade also needs to satisfy Larkin’s no-trade protection. Financial flexibility alone cannot force a deal to a destination he hasn’t approved.
What Would Dylan Larkin Cost a New Team?
Annual cap hit: $8.7 million | Signed through 2030-31
My preference would be to seek an appropriate hockey return without significant long-term retention. Holding millions in dead cap space for multiple seasons could undermine the value of the young players Detroit hopes to acquire.
What Should the Red Wings Demand in a Dylan Larkin Trade?
Rather than predicting an arbitrary package, I would evaluate any offer using four priorities.
The first is whether Detroit receives a young centre with legitimate top-six upside. That should carry the greatest weight.
Second is immediate NHL value. A credible roster player could help prevent the Red Wings from taking a substantial competitive step backward.
Third is the quality of additional prospect or draft compensation.
Finally, the salary-cap structure must make sense for Detroit over the long term.
What Makes a Strong Dylan Larkin Trade Return?
Our editorial model weighs four factors, for a total of 100 possible points.
This is an editorial evaluation framework, not a leaked asking price or a statistical prediction of what another GM will offer.
A package with multiple draft picks but no convincing young centre might score poorly under this model, even if it appears impressive at first glance.
That’s exactly why Detroit should be patient.
Could the Montreal Canadiens Enter the Dylan Larkin Sweepstakes?
Montreal remains an entertaining wrinkle in this story.
Canadiens fans chanted for Larkin during Detroit’s October visit to Montreal, and Friedman suggested that the reception may have influenced his thinking somewhat.
However, Montreal is not on Larkin’s reported ten-team list.
Friedman raised the possibility that Detroit and Montreal could revisit the player’s willingness if the organizations first discovered a potential trade agreement.
That is a hypothetical scenario, not evidence of an impending Canadiens blockbuster.
The Canadiens have an exciting young core, but unless Larkin becomes willing to approve Montreal, the speculation remains exactly that.
Is a Dylan Larkin Trade Getting Closer?
There are genuine reasons to believe the possibilities have expanded.
Larkin has reportedly increased his acceptable destinations, Detroit is investigating young centres and multiple insiders continue to discuss potential trade frameworks.
But a broader market doesn’t guarantee a completed transaction.
My read is that Horcoff is trying to establish a return he can defend both now and several years down the road.
The next meaningful development won’t simply be another phone call. It will be a report identifying a young centre Detroit genuinely values enough to build a trade around.
Until then, Larkin remains a Detroit Red Wings player, no completed trade has been announced, and the search for an acceptable return continues.
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