The Minnesota Wild have emerged as one of the go-to destinations for still Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin. The Team USA connections potentially enticing Larkin to join the Wild are evident, making Minnesota a clear favorite to land the top-line center.
But landing the 29-year-old may not be quite as clear-cut as most would think. The consensus is that the return for Larkin would be something akin to what the Vancouver Canucks got for Quinn Hughes.
In that deal, the Wild paid the equivalent of four first-round picks for Hughes. The Red Wings would have the same expectation for Larkin.
But as Michael Russo and Joe Smith noted in a recent piece in The Athletic, the Wild may not have the dry powder to pull this one off.
“The Wild don’t have a first-rounder this year, and while they have theirs in 2027 and 2028, how much value do they carry, especially if they’re likely to be late first-rounders? There are no second-rounders in the next three years, either.”
That’s even assuming the Red Wings are willing to take on futures for Larkin. What if Detroit wants to get roster players ready to contribute? Would Danila Yurov and Charlie Stramel move the needle?
That’s the major hurdle the Wild will need to overcome. Tossing in Jesper Wallstedt, as much as the Wild would love to keep him, won’t be enough to entice Red Wings’ GM Steve Yzerman to pull the trigger.
As such, the Wild will need to come up with a lot more if they want to really make this deal happen.
Wild Will Have to Compete with Other Teams with More Ammo
The reality is that the Wild will have to compete with other teams that have more ammo than they do. Granted, these are mostly rebuilding teams. But one has to wonder just how much Dylan Larkin would push the Red Wings to send him to one of his preferred destinations.
If the former Red Wings captain is hellbent on going to, say, Vegas, the deal could get stuck in limbo. But if Larkin is willing to play ball and consider a less traditional destination like San Jose or even Chicago, a deal may suddenly become more feasible.
But what Larkin’s initial three-team trade list proved is that he wants to play for a Stanley Cup contender. Needless to say, the teams that could afford to match Steve Yzerman’s price are not in that category.
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Minnesota Might End Up Missing Out on Larkin
Ultimately, it looks like the Wild might end up missing out on Larkin. Unless Larkin’s camp can somehow strong-arm Yzerman into sending him to Minnesota, even if the deal isn’t what Detroit wants, then it’s tough to envisage Minnesota getting their man.
Things can change, of course. But given the situation, it might not be so easy for the Wild to pull this one off. The reality is that Bill Guerin used up his best assets in the Hughes deal. Now, he may struggle to land the top-line center he’s been gunning for.
Again, things can change. The Red Wings might be willing to take the first-rounders and a couple of prospects. But that’s not the indication at the moment. The chatter suggests that the Red Wings want to go for it next season.
That posture could really complicate a Red Wings-Wild trade involving Larkin.
Wild Face Major Obstacle in Landing Dylan Larkin