How the Detroit Red Wings and Dylan Larkin got to the trade request
Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff was on TSN Radio in Montreal and was asked about Dylan Larkin asking out of Detroit. Given that he wants to go to three teams, how could a team like the Minnesota Wild pull off this type of trade?
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “We’re chatting with Anthony Di Marco of the Daily Faceoff. Anthony, let’s move over to off the ice stories here in the NHL. Dylan Larkin, the news came out last week that he has requested a trade out of Detroit. The latest, he’s willing to go to three teams: Florida, Vegas, or Minnesota.”
Anthony Di Marco: “Oh, what do you know? When that report came, I didn’t even see that, but I mean the low-hanging fruit, right? You get two of the last two Stanley Cup champions in Florida and Vegas, both in no-tax states, and Minnesota, where we know he has a good relationship with General Manager Bill Guerin.
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Larkin obviously played an integral role in the Olympic Gold Medal team as a third-line center, and no team needs a top-end center more than the Minnesota Wild. And this is a complete indictment of Steve Yzerman as general manager. I have not been impressed with his work, going back to the beginning of last season, 2024.
And I mean, you could have traded Dylan Larkin a few years ago at the trade deadline, before signing him to an eight-year extension. You keep him because, seemingly, it was time to push the pedal to the metal and start accelerating things. Hasn’t happened in Detroit, has only gotten worse out since then, and now he’s fully locked and loaded with a full no-trade clause.
So, I mean, this is just what happens if actions have consequences. In this case, inaction has consequences for Steve Yzerman, and because you were so reluctant, now you have a player who has all the cards in his hand.”
Is Larkin and Minnesota a fit and potential players involved?
In a follow-up, Di Marco was asked about potential trade chips in a Larkin deal to Minnesota and whether Jesper Wallstedt could be involved.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Host: “Do you see a potential deal here with (Jesper) Wallstedt?”
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Di Marco: “I mean, yeah, that’s the best piece that Minnesota has. But here’s the thing, guys, they’re loaded, the Red Wings, that is, with goaltending prospects, Trey Augustine, Sebastian Cossa, two of the more high-end guys, are higher end goalie prospects in the NHL. Now, I mean, I think Wallstedt, I don’t think, he is an NHL-ready goaltender, he’s on a good cost certainty contract, he can step in right away.
I don’t believe they’re going to be bringing back Cam Talbot, so you could have a (John) Gibson-Wallstedt tandem for one more season, but then what are you doing with Cossa or Augustine? So I think if you’re bringing in Wallstedt with (Charlie)Stramel and (Danila) Yurov, potentially as well, in the deal, then you’re going to try and flip Cosa and or Augustine to get some help up front.
Because here’s the thing, guys, like there are no blue-chip prospects coming up the pipeline as far as forwards go for the Detroit Red Wings. They’re not especially deep down the middle to begin with. After Dylan Larkin, you have Andrew Copp and then into JT Compher, so they’re really gonna have to get creative here.
If you’re bringing in Wallstedt as the biggest piece coming from Minnesota, you’re gonna have to turn those other goaltending prospects into some assets up front.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The situation between Dylan Larkin and GM Steve Yzerman reached a tipping point. There is no surprise that he wants out and to go play with his buddies from Team USA, who won a Gold Medal. While everyone can be mad at Larkin, this is a similar situation in Winnipeg because of the inability of the GM, in this case, in Detroit, Steve Yzerman, to show and have the team make significant progress. It feels like the team is heading to a Buffalo-style Rebuild 2.0 and starting over.
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The issue for all these teams is cap space, more on that in another article, but in the case of Minnesota, with no Filip Gustavsson to start the year, why are they moving Jesper Wallstedt? Not to mention, Detroit does not need a goalie back in the deal.
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