The Detroit Red Wings have established their asking price for Dylan Larkin, and they aren’t giving an inch. However, reports around the NHL suggest that if they aren’t willing to accept anything less a trade may never actually materialize.
Just like the Minnesota Wild’s trade offer to Detroit might be missing some pieces and that complicates their odds, every team in the NHL may face the same fate dealing with the Red Wings. Detroit wants an immediate replacement for Larkin.
Whether any team can actually give up what the Wings are asking for, however, is a different question. And one that may drive Larkin and company down a painful shaggy-dog story ending.
“I do think that they kind of want like a 21, 22 year old Larkin for a 30 year old Larkin and I just don’t know if that’s going to happen right now,” Wild insider Michael Russo reported on NHL Tonight.
Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
The longer this goes…
Make no mistake, the Red Wings are in no rush to make a deal and send Larkin off to his next destination. The former captain is signed for the next four and a half seasons, and even without a smile on his face, he can still produce and play like the top-six center Detroit needs him to be.
However, the Wings are also aware of the burden Larkin’s trade buzz places on the locker room. It’s not an easy situation for the rest of the players to deal with, and it’s not fair to them to be caught in the crossfire, either.
At some point, it can send the wrong message to the team, especially if the players get the sense that Detroit is holding on to Larkin out of pettiness rather than strategy. Still, until the Red Wings come across an offer worth their while, they have every right to keep Larkin in Motor City.
Red Wings walk a thin line
Moreover, as much as upset fans may enjoy seeing Larkin in the virtual penitentiary Little Caesars Arena has become for the gold medalist, his teammates may see it as a warning of what could happen to them if they ever want out. It’s a bold strategy on Detroit’s part.
The Wings are carrying a big stick and no longer speaking softly. The locker room will surely take notice, but whether that’s a positive or a negative remains to be seen.
All in all, one conclusion can be drawn: the longer the Larkin saga drags on, the higher the stakes will get. With the position the Red Wings are in, it may not be the best of bets, but they may have nothing to lose, either.
Key takeaways
- Detroit demands an immediate replacement for Dylan Larkin before agreeing to any potential NHL trade.
- Michael Russo reported Detroit’s asking price for Larkin may not be met.
- Dylan Larkin is under contract with the Detroit Red Wings for four and a half seasons.
