One of the potential dark horse teams emerging as a suitor for Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin could blow up the NHL trade market.
Chatter has suggested that a team like the Utah Mammoth could jump into the fray and make a serious push to land the 29-year-old. After the Ottawa Senators traded Brady Tkachuk, there’s no reason to believe that Larkin couldn’t be next.
If the Mammoth were serious about Larkin, they could pull off the deal. Utah has the pieces and the draft picks to make the deal happen. In particular, the Mammoth see themselves as serious contenders, but they reside in a rough neighborhood, that is, the Central Division. That’s why they’ll need to keep up with major players like the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche.
So, here’s a look at what this trade idea could look like:
Mammoth get:
Dylan Larkin, F
Red Wings get:
2026 first-round pick
2028 first-round pick
2027 second-round pick
Dmitri Simashev, D
Caleb Desnoyers, F
Looking at the deal, the Red Wings would get mostly futures. However, the pieces would help the Red Wings restock and load up for the next phase of their rebuild. For starters, getting a 2026 first-round pick would help Detroit get another solid prospect.
The Mammoth are slated to pick 19th. That’s not an amazing spot to pick at, but certainly good enough to find a solid pick.
Meanwhile, the 2027 second-rounder and the 2028 first-rounders could become trade chips for future deals. It’s unlikely the Red Wings keep those picks, especially if the club is fixated on making additions to help it contend in the near term.
But it’s the prospects that could make this deal worthwhile for Detroit.
Mammoth Willing to Part with Coveted Pieces
In the run-up to the NHL trade deadline this past season, the talk was that teams were asking for Dmitri Simashev and Caleb Desnoyers.
Let’s start with Simashev. The 21-year-old blueliner is believed to have top-four potential. He can play both sides, with his offensive upside making other clubs drool at the possibility of landing him.
While he didn’t score much at the NHL level, just one point in 28 games, he did rack up eight goals and 35 points in 40 AHL games. If he can turn his potential into serious NHL production, he could become a major piece for the Red Wings moving forward.
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Red Wings Get Potential Larkin Replacement
The other piece in this trade idea is Caleb Desnoyers. The 19-year-old was the Mammoth’s first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He’s been tearing up the QMJHL, scoring 22 goals and 78 points in 45 games.
The main idea is that Desnoyers could become a top-six center with a decent defensive upside. That sounds like something the Red Wings would be looking to offset the loss of Larkin. He’s just starting his entry-level deal, so there might be a chance he jumps to the AHL this season.
If he does, it might only be a matter of time before he gets a look at the NHL. Assuming Desnoyers can stick in the NHL, he could become a solid top-six center much like Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini were in their rookie seasons.
As for the likelihood of this trade happening, it’s tough to bet on it. It seems like Steve Yzerman will take his time trading Larkin. That’s why this idea is part of trade predictions leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft.
Red Wings-Mammoth Trade Idea Could Blow Up NHL