Dylan Larkin has reportedly asked out of the Detroit Red Wings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft and 2026-27 season. Although virtually every team in the league would be interested in the star center, it feels like the Minnesota Wild simply make too much sense.
“Welcome to the Minnesota Wild, Dylan Larkin,” Stanley Cup champion and ESPN analyst Erik Johnson jokingly said on his X account. He wasn’t breaking any news, simply stating the obvious as Minnesota is arguably the most logical landing spot for Larkin. Greg Wyshynski also pointed at the Wild as the clear-cut number one suitor for Larkin.
The Wild need a center. There’s no way around it. Minnesota was among the biggest bidders for Vincent Trocheck at the NHL trade deadline. Ultimately, the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement, but the need for a centerman is still there. Larkin’s trade request out of Detroit spoils the Rangers’ plan, and it could also take one of the biggest suitors out of the market for New York and Trocheck.
In more ways than one, Detroit could take the only positive thing New York has going for it away from it. And the worst part of it all may be that the Red Wings would love not to be in this position.
Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings at Capital One Arena
Wild makes too much sense
The Wild’s desperate need for center help and Larkin’s trade request have created the perfect storm. The main factors behind Larkin’s trade request appear to be that he is tired of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs and has grown apart from the front office in Detroit.
Joining the Wild, he’d be killing two birds with one stone. Minnesota is a perennial playoff team—even if it has only made it out of the first round once in the last decade—and its front office, led by GM Bill Guerin, would reunite Larkin with several familiar faces from Team USA’s administration.
Moreover, Larkin won the gold medal at the 2026 Olympics alongside Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, and Matt Boldy. That’s three more potential teammates than Larkin has ever won anything with among his Red Wings peers. Similar to Trocheck’s case, the Wild and Larkin have history, even if he never played for the organization in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. They seem to be connected, and the trade request may finally bring them together.
Trading for Larkin could solve everything for Wild
For the Wild, acquiring Larkin, who is under contract for the next five NHL seasons, could also help them convince Hughes to re-sign in Minneapolis-St. Paul rather than head to New Jersey, where his brothers Jack and Luke await on the Devils.
If Minnesota can put together an appealing offer, Detroit may not put up much resistance, and Larkin would waive his no trade clause (NTC) to chase glory with the Wild, one of 10 NHL franchises that have never won the Stanley Cup.
Quinn Hughes #43 of the Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena
The dots simply connect smoothly for Larkin and Minnesota. If the Wild miss out on this chance, they may come to regret it forever. For Larkin, this may be the best chance he ever gets at a fresh start.
Just another Wild postseason run
The Wild witnessed a promising season come to a crushing end at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, many could make the case that Minnesota shot itself in the foot. The organization in the Twin Cities didn’t address its clear void at the centerman position, and it came back to bite the Wild.
They had everything else covered. All they needed were some anchors to fill out the top six. They missed out on Trocheck, and it was only downhill from there. Once one thing failed, the house of cards came crashing down for Minnesota.
It’s no use crying over spilled milk, but it should serve the Wild as a lesson. Heading into yet another long offseason, they must finally address the elephant in the room. With Larkin’s out-of-the-blue trade request, they may have come across just the perfect opportunity. And this train will only stop once.
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Where will Dylan Larkin be traded?
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