The fact that Dylan Larkin continues to play for the Detroit Red Wings even while his trade request is active is quite unusual.
It puts at least a bit of a positive spin on a situation that’s otherwise a bummer for the Red Wings, though.
Their captain asked out over the summer, and so they took away his ‘C’ even while not having traded him away yet.
It doesn’t seem to be a case of the Red Wings being petty and not trading him, though. That wouldn’t help anyone.
The reality is that Larkin’s trade list, recently expanded from three teams to 10, makes it a bit tougher for Detroit to line up on a deal with someone.
The various circumstances surrounding a deal-or-no-deal in this case, though, still point to one outcome.
Dylan Larkin Trade Update
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston put together a trade board article on Wednesday, and he’s got Larkin at No. 2 on the board behind just Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
The NHL insider acknowledges that even though Larkin isn’t quite showing it, his desire to leave Detroit is still real.
“Larkin has put on a brave face and faced the music this fall, taking a slew of questions from reporters about his unfulfilled trade request while being booed by fans at Little Caesars Arena,” Johnston writes. “That hasn’t done anything to change his mind about wanting a change of scenery.”
The Red Wings still have some work to do to actually deal Larkin, but he’s a guy that another team should still want.
“Larkin is an excellent skater with five consecutive 30-goal seasons on his resume, making him the kind of center most NHL teams could easily find a spot for,” Johnston writes. “He’s indicated a willingness to waive his no-trade clause for 10 teams and may yet have to expand that list further to facilitate a deal that nets Detroit the right mix of assets in return.”
The more teams Larkin would accept going to, the better chance the Red Wings have of completing a trade.
Will Dylan Larkin Be Traded?
It seems the general consensus is that despite the delay, Larkin will still be traded in the end.
“Everyone is currently making the best of an imperfect situation, but it would be surprising if Larkin isn’t moved at some point this season,” Johnston writes.
The Red Wings really can’t just continue to keep around a guy who has made it well known that he wants out. If they did, Larkin would likely have to totally backtrack on his request — and at least at the moment, that doesn’t appear likely. A trade is just part of a waiting game at this point, just like with Hellebuyck in Winnipeg.
Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin Trade Not Being Swayed