The Minnesota Wild are not giving up on their pursuit of Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, even as the situation remains unresolved following the veteran forward’s trade request.
According to Michael Russo, the Wild have already made their interest known and remain hopeful that they can acquire Larkin once the Red Wings finally appoint a new general manager. The Wild appear willing to wait, understanding that the biggest obstacle right now is not their interest in the player, but the uncertainty surrounding Detroit’s front office.
Larkin’s trade request has created a complicated situation for the Red Wings. Detroit recently moved on from Steve Yzerman, leaving Shawn Horcoff in an interim role while the organization searches for a permanent replacement. Until that process is completed, major decisions surrounding Larkin’s future could remain on hold.
Will Red Wings trade Dylan Larkin to Wild?
It’s a very interesting situation. Russo provided a clear update on Minnesota’s position, confirming that the Wild have already pursued Larkin and are still hoping to make a deal happen. “The Wild have gone after Dylan Larkin. They hope to still get Larkin once Detroit hires a general manager.”
That keeps Minnesota firmly in the conversation for one of the NHL’s most sought-after trade targets. Larkin would give the Wild another proven star and a major boost to a team trying to become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
The Wild’s willingness to wait could ultimately become important. If the Red Wings decide that moving Larkin is unavoidable, Minnesota could already be positioned to make a serious offer.
When will Red Wings hire a new GM?
The biggest question is how long Detroit’s search will take. The Red Wings have reportedly indicated that they are not rushing the process, with the search potentially extending into September. That creates an unusual situation with the 2026-27 NHL season scheduled to begin on September 29.
Horcoff can oversee the organization in the interim, but his authority is not necessarily comparable to that of the permanent general manager Detroit will ultimately choose. That could make a major Larkin trade difficult to execute until the front-office structure is settled.
For now, the Red Wings remain without a permanent GM and do not appear to be in a hurry to change that. As a result, Minnesota and the other teams interested in Larkin may simply have to wait.
The Wild, at least, appear prepared to do exactly that. Their pursuit of Larkin is still alive, but the next major move may depend entirely on who takes control of Detroit’s hockey operations.
