Dylan Larkin joining the Utah Mammoth makes more sense than maybe any other fit in the NHL. That, of course, assumes Larkin is willing to expand his current trade list. It also assumes Dylan Larkin joining Utah is something that, you know, Utah actually wants.
It’s still not clear the Wings will trade Larkin. Bob Duffer of Detroit Hockey Now believes Larkin will attend camp and play for the Wings this season.
Let’s assume a trade can be reached, though. Let’s also assume that Detroit’s new management, once hired, determines that trading Larkin is their only viable path forward. If the Red Wings management is still steadfast in refusing to take a step back, Utah might be the single best trade partner that fits what the Red Wings and Larkin are seeking.
Dylan Larkin Joining Utah Makes Sense for Utah Based on Summer Moves
If we assume that Detroit’s new management, once hired, won’t move off Steve Yzerman’s demands for high-end pieces and actual NHL players, there aren’t many teams that actually fit the bill. Moreover, none of the four reported teams on Larkin’s existing list — Dallas, Vegas, Florida and Minnesota — have the pieces Detroit wants or needs to validate a Larkin trade. Vegas and Florida, reportedly, are not interested.
Utah, however, is a different story. The Mammoth don’t need Larkin, which is among the reasons why they should want Larkin. He’s an upgrade even if he isn’t an outright need. Already, the center depth chart looks very strong. It’s not clear exactly where Logan Cooley, Nick Schmaltz, Vincent Trocheck, Barrett Hayton, Jack McBain and Kevin Stenlund will fall in a lineup next season. That’s six centers, which gives Utah incredible lineup flexibility already. Adding a seventh (assuming no current centers go the other way in a trade) might seem like overkill, but it’s arguably the hardest position to fill.
More importantly, Utah made it clear it intends to make its playoff existence an annual occurrence. And, clearly, they want to go further than they did last season, bowing out in six games in the first round to Vegas. The Mammoth added Vincent Trocheck, Anders Lee, Sebastian Cossa and extended John Marino. They decided to match the offer sheet on Barrett Hayton, risking losing him for nothing next summer instead of losing him for the season. They’re adding despite their immense prospect depth. They’re very clearly all-in on 2026-27.
Dylan Larkin joining Utah is a no-brainer from that perspective.
Why It Makes Sense for Detroit
Utah might be the only organization that can offer the Red Wings what they wanted initially — a mixture of high-end potential and existing NHL pieces. This is one of the few organizations that can do that without harming their current chances. What’s not clear, yet, is whether Dylan Larkin joining Utah would work for the Mammoth.
If Utah and Detroit made a deal, the Mammoth would need to shed one roster player and enough salary to fit Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit. The logical choice from the roster is Jack McBain. Though McBain is a clear bottom-six player, he’s a pretty useful one. He’s also still 26, with no trade protection and entering the second year of a five-year deal with a $4.25 million cap hit.
After McBain, Utah also has five first-round picks in the next four drafts (including a protected one from Florida, acquired in the deal that sent JJ Peterka to Boston). It’s fair to assume Detroit would want at least one first-round pick in a deal.
The main attraction, however, is in the prospect pool. Generally speaking, Utah’s two best prospects at this point are Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers. Iginla, son of Flames legend Jarome Iginla, plays both center and wing. The Mammoth drafted him sixth overall in 2024. Desnoyers, a well-liked center out of Moncton in the QJMHL, skyrocketed up the boards during the draft process. Utah ultimately took him fourth overall in 2025. These are top-end prospects — the type that would actually justify Detroit acquiescing to Larkin’s demands.
Dylan Larkin Joining Utah Requires an Expanded List
Larkin should expand his list to join the Utah Mammoth. He’s looking for a competitive team. Not only is Utah competitive, but it also acquired one of his U.S. Olympic gold-medal-winning teammates this offseason, Vincent Trocheck. Moreover, Utah with Larkin is a Stanley Cup favorite, even in a difficult Central Division. Logan Cooley is an ascending player and likely long-term number one center in Utah. Nick Schmaltz is a deeply underrated top-six scorer and excellent penalty killer, a Swiss Army man not all that dissimilar from Trocheck, just younger.
Trocheck, Lee, Hayton, Stenlund, Lawson Crouse and Michael Carcone provide great depth, which teams need in the postseason. Larkin would be able to play center or wing. Plus, Utah is one of the few teams with enough depth to deploy him at five-on-five in a similar fashion to the U.S. Olympic team.
Larkin isn’t necessarily the type of all-world number-one center Detroit fans imagined he would evolve into. Still, he’s a two-way weapon that will present a matchup nightmare for most NHL teams. Utah is one of the few places that can deploy him that way without sacrificing critical pieces from its current roster to initiate a trade. That’s not something that Dallas, Detroit, Florida or Minnesota can offer the Red Wings.
If Larkin is serious about escaping Detroit, Utah should be his destination of choice.
Utah Mammoth an Excellent Fit for Dylan Larkin If Trade List Expands