The Minnesota Wild appear willing to pay an enormous price to acquire Dylan Larkin, but the Detroit Red Wings aren’t ready to pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Minnesota has reportedly offered Detroit a package headlined by young forward Danila Yurov and three first-round draft picks in exchange for Larkin.
The rumour was previously floated around, but Friedman confirmed it’s still firmly on the table.
Not only that, but Minnesota considers its offer final.
That’s an incredible amount of future assets for one 30-year-old player. However, Detroit apparently isn’t satisfied with what’s being offered, leaving Larkin’s future hanging in the balance.
Appearing on Oilers NOW with Bob Stauffer on November 10, Friedman provided a significant update on the negotiations.
“As it stands right now, Larkin has not increased his list, and [Detroit interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has] an offer from Minnesota out there, which we believe is Yurov and 3 firsts,” Friedman explained.
“I think the challenge is a lot of those teams on that list can’t do it or aren’t doing it.”
The reported package would give Detroit four significant assets, including a young forward who was selected 24th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.
So, what’s the hold-up?
Wild’s Massive Offer is Insanely good for Red Wings
Detroit is looking to make the most of a bad situation.
But seriously, will that situation get any better than an offer of three first-round picks?
The Wild are clearly making a desperate push to upgrade their centre ice position in hopes that they can A) keep Quinn Hughes in the fold and, B) win the Stanley Cup.
But it’s still a massive gamble by Bill Guerin.
If Minnesota doesn’t win the Cup this year and Hughes walks, they could right back into the NHL’s mushy middle, a place they’re all too familiar with.
And who knows, perhaps one of those later first-round picks is more valuable than Detroit believes it could be.
Adding three first-round picks to that package would give Detroit an opportunity to significantly replenish its prospect pool and potentially find multiple future core players.
As for Yurov, he’s an intriguing young player who could become an important piece of Detroit’s future if the Red Wings eventually decide to accept Minnesota’s offer.
The 22-year-old Russian forward has shown flashes of offensive potential during his first NHL season, recording six goals and one assist through 20 games with the Wild in 2026-27.
He’s also contributed on the power play, scoring twice with the man advantage, while averaging approximately 15 minutes of ice time per game.
Yurov is still developing, but his offensive upside makes him an appealing prospect for a rebuilding organization.
Dylan Larkin’s Trade List Continues to Complicate Negotiations
Perhaps the most interesting part of Friedman’s update is that Larkin apparently hasn’t expanded his list of acceptable destinations.
The Red Wings captain has a no-movement clause, giving him considerable control over where he could potentially be traded.
Even if Minnesota is prepared to surrender an extraordinary collection of assets, Detroit can’t complete a deal without Larkin’s approval.
And according to Friedman, that’s becoming a significant obstacle.
Several of the teams on Larkin’s list reportedly aren’t willing or aren’t able to put together a competitive offer, leaving Minnesota in an interesting position.
The Wild could potentially have the strongest offer available, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Detroit is prepared to accept it.
Detroit’s management also has to consider the long-term implications of trading its captain. Horcoff has made it clear that the organization wants a return that includes players capable of helping the Red Wings immediately.
For now, Minnesota appears to have put a massive offer on the table.
Whether Detroit eventually decides that Yurov and three first-round picks are enough to move on from Larkin remains one of the NHL’s biggest developing trade stories.
NHL Insider Reveals Massive Dylan Larkin Trade Offer Red Wings Won’t Accept