Rumor: Larkin requests trade

[The Zetterberg Era]

It's wild to me the suggestion that Yzerman would sit Larkin and allow him to be disgruntled and a distraction in the locker room. This is the GM that gave up a 2nd and a 1st round pick (the latter being opportunity cost), to get Walman away from the team. That's nearly the bulk of an entire draft class when you consider how infrequently 3-7th round picks meaningfully hit.

Walman was removed in large part in terms of the speculation most know for being unprofessional and losing the room including players.

I think Dylan Larkin will play even if his trade request isn’t immediately accommodated. This isn’t Jake Walman who clashed with all parts of the organization. Larkin can be in there mfing management but I doubt he will, I think this will be handled differently.

While I think it would be best for all parties if they find an appropriate package soon, there are qualities to Dylan Larkin even if this has happened that suggest this situation can play out differently.

 

[Shaman464]

It's wild to me the suggestion that Yzerman would sit Larkin and allow him to be disgruntled and a distraction in the locker room. This is the GM that gave up a 2nd and a 1st round pick (the latter being opportunity cost), to get Walman away from the team. That's nearly the bulk of an entire draft class when you consider how infrequently 3-7th round picks meaningfully hit.

I don't think Larkin goes for low value, but I also don't think Yzerman will squeeze him for maximum.

Comparing Larkin to Walman is a joke. Yzerman was the one that kept Drouin for over a year after he demanded a trade. That is a way more comparable situation.

 

[minimal]

I think realistically Detroit will want to move on now. But it doesn’t have to happen right away if a comfortable offer doesn’t appear. But this is damaging league wide in terms of perception and I am sure if he can find a good landing Yzerman will move on.

I don't think the situation will go on longer than necessary. The reputational damage is a non-issue to me. Players already weren't coming to Detroit, and they probably just won't until the team starts winning or has an honest to god mega star. The good news is that neither were looking likely this next season with Larkin on the team, and it could very well be in the cards with him off it.

 

[DangerMouse]

If Minny is going to have any shot they’ve gotta turn Wallstedt into a prospect that has the possibility of being a legit 1C.

Problem is I think they’d have to add to Wallstedt to do that which may not leave enough in the cupboard to get a deal done with Detroit anyhow.

 

[Winger98]

Is there a functional difference between requesting a trade and demanding a trade? Part of the reason no one in Detroit or larkin's camp wanted this out was probably so they could quietly walk it back behind the scenes if no suitable trade materialized. Have to wonder what happens if Yzerman moves forward and actually lands a significant player at forward before he finds a deal for Larkin.

Don't see it as likely at all, but not sure dealing Larkin is a total slam dunk, either.

 

[USAHockey97]

Legit LOL at the idea Yzerman doesn't care. One guy said we've got to do better and said publicly that he's committed to getting this fixed. The other guy quietly asked out and got upset when his request became public.

For the record - and I've been saying this since yesterday - I have no problem with Larkin asking out and I think it will ultimately benefit the franchise.

But it's worth pointing out those with an agenda against Yzerman have been wrong time and time again.

• Kris Draper wasn't named GM last summer.
• Larkin wasn't able to force Yzerman's hand due to his NTC.
• Yzerman wasn't pushed out if/when Larkin's time came to an end.

I'm sure the agenda will continue regardless, but that's all it really is at this point.

I was referring to a mention that he didn’t care, thus the if. I do believe Yzerman cares. I just don’t think he’s done a good enough job.

 

[USAHockey97]

The only "team" I'm on, the only one that matters, is the Red Wings.

Valenti is a moron.

That’s fair. The Wings are bigger than both Yzerman and Larkin.

 

[USAHockey97]

What leverage? He can’t force a trade.

He can influence where he wants to go and also make the whole organization uncomfortable depending on how things go.

 

[Leibinger6]

Here’s a few things I know will/won’t happen:

SY won’t trade for Wallstedt, as that would be admitting he was wrong on the Cossa trade-up. We know how Steve is.

SY won’t even trade with Minnesota unless the return is astronomical. I think Guerin is trying to poach players behind the scenes, and Steve knows this.

SY won’t send Larkin to his “desired team” unless the return is a no-brainer.

SY will play hardball and force Dylan to play for the Wings in 2026 if he won’t provide a reasonable NMC list. Steve holds grudges, and Dylan’s words and actions as captain will always influence his decision-making. We’ve seen in Tampa SY doesn’t stand down or settle in these situations.

SY will make moves for future only assets if the price is right. You think he cares what us fans think? An absurdly good futures package won’t slide off his desk, and it shouldn’t.

 

[Ricelund]

Here’s a few things I know will/won’t happen:

SY won’t trade for Wallstedt, as that would be admitting he was wrong on the Cossa trade-up. We know how Steve is.

SY won’t even trade with Minnesota unless the return is astronomical. I think Guerin is trying to poach players behind the scenes, and Steve knows this.

SY won’t send Larkin to his “desired team” unless the return is a no-brainer.

SY will play hardball and force Dylan to play for the Wings in 2026 if he won’t provide a reasonable NMC list. Steve holds grudges, and Dylan’s words and actions as captain will always influence his decision-making. We’ve seen in Tampa SY doesn’t stand down or settle in these situations.

SY will make moves for future only assets if the price is right. You think he cares what us fans think? An absurdly good futures package won’t slide off his desk, and it shouldn’t.

Agree with most of this but I could see him trading for Wallstedt if there's enough in the package.

 

[ZombosNose]

He can influence where he wants to go and also make the whole organization uncomfortable depending on how things go.

Oh no not uncomfortable because Dylan is sulking...

 

[USAHockey97]

Larkin has no leverage. He’s under contract for 5 more years and until traded he has to report to LCA. And he can do it as the 13th forward if he’s a twat about it. I’m not sure how many times I have to say it but there is nothing forcing Yzerman to trade him until he has the offer he wants on the table. And if Yzerman still has a pair that will be what he tells Larkin. That either he wants out bad enough to move to a non-preferred destination or he’s going to have to play for the Wings until the team he wants to join ponies up.

If Larkin makes it known he doesn’t want to go to a team, why would said team give up assets to acquire him? Just so he could be unhappy there and demand another trade? No, Larkin has some leverage here. Yzerman is best suited by playing contenders against one another to get the best deal. Sure he can wait for that. But if it’s out of spite toward Larkin, he risks getting less for him and hurting the Wings in the end.

 

[Shaman464]

If Larkin makes it known he doesn’t want to go to a team, why would said team give up assets to acquire him? Just so he could be unhappy there and demand another trade? No, Larkin has some leverage here. Yzerman is best suited by playing contenders against one another to get the best deal. Sure he can wait for that. But if it’s out of spite toward Larkin, he risks getting less for him and hurting the Wings in the end.

He has no leverage here. He can’t force a trade and Detroit has half a decade of control over him. If he doesnt want to play somewhere, that’s great, he still has to play in Detroit. The only thing he controls is how bad he wants to leave Detroit.

 

[Leibinger6]

Agree with most of this but I could see him trading for Wallstedt if there's enough in the package.

We have enough goalie prospects. Some are closer than we know to playing in Detroit. What I COULD see is Guerin moving Wallstedt to another team to get the assets SY wants (3-way trade).

Let me edit and add that if he traded Larkin for Wallstedt, I would be one of many fans burning my 19 jersey. That would be awful asset management. No goaltender in history won a Cup stopping 27 high quality scoring chances a game with zero run support.

Goaltending isn’t even our issue. The low hanging fruit when you can’t score or get the puck out of your zone is look at the goalie. Great teams have supported below average goaltending. Great goalies have never carried below average teams.

 

[USAHockey97]

That’s not leverage though. Detroit doesn’t need to trade him. They can force him to be the 13th forward for the next two years and Larkin couldn’t do anything about it. But Larkin can’t force Detroit to trade him. So he has no leverage.

That is poor asset management.

Larkin already lost the publicity war. As for the locker room, it sounds like Larkin has been a sulking asshole for years now. I have to think his teammates, if they weren’t already not on his side will be against him now that he’s trying to jump ship. As for his trade value? What contending team has a package that won’t set Detroit back years anyway? I can’t name one that could afford to do a hockey trade for a Larkin level player today or has a player with first line center ceiling in their farm. And Detroit shouldn’t accept any trade that can’t yield a top center back. Not when the top 3 centers after Larkin combined for 80 points over 240 games.

Not sure about that. I’ve see A lot people coming out with criticism toward Yzerman. The Yzerplan gets a lot of questions.

Oh no not uncomfortable because Dylan is sulking...

How quick did Walman get moved? Maybe Dylan takes a page out of his playbook? lol.

 

[USAHockey97]

He has no leverage here. He can’t force a trade and Detroit has half a decade of control over him. If he doesnt want to play somewhere, that’s great, he still has to play in Detroit. The only thing he controls is how bad he wants to leave Detroit.

That is not an ideal situation.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

My Dad said this is worse. Your incompetent ownership are the Ilitch’s not an already hated family. Yzerman is the one failing not Ned Harkness. It’s also a harder league to turn it around all the way to the top in.

Even if we want to put the Dead Things era at rock bottom, this if the second worst era in 100 years of Red Wings hockey. It’s really bad.

My dad was a season ticket holder in the dead things era. But despite the wings sucking he spoke fondly of them because they were at least entertaining and had plenty of psychopaths.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Comparing Larkin to Walman is a joke. Yzerman was the one that kept Drouin for over a year after he demanded a trade. That is a way more comparable situation.

Drouin and Larkin are not comparable. Not even close.

Moody underachieving one-way middle six winger vs. overworked highly sought after two-way top 20 center.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

My dad was a season ticket holder in the dead things era. But despite the wings sucking he spoke fondly of them because they were at least entertaining and had plenty of psychopaths.

It would be easier to watch this team struggle if they had any sort of identity at all.

 

[Shaman464]

Drouin and Larkin are not comparable. Not even close.

Moody underachieving one-way middle six winger vs. overworked highly sought after two-way top 20 center.

They’re way more comparable than Larkin and Walman. Drouin was sought after young top 3 pick who was on the verge of a breakout season. He wasn’t a journeyman defender who had one good season to his name approaching 30.

 

[dj4aces]

You’re not going to press box your only top 6 center

Larks may prefer to be in the press box once the fans get done expressing their displeasure on opening night, Hell, he may prefer to just stay home.

If Larkin makes it known he doesn’t want to go to a team, why would said team give up assets to acquire him? Just so he could be unhappy there and demand another trade? No, Larkin has some leverage here. Yzerman is best suited by playing contenders against one another to get the best deal. Sure he can wait for that. But if it’s out of spite toward Larkin, he risks getting less for him and hurting the Wings in the end.

Larkin's leverage is limited, though. Yes, his NMC means he has control of where he goes, but Stevie will get what he wants for his asset. This was true even before the news of this broke. The only difference now is, Larkin has more incentive to get this done ASAP. Stevie can wait as long as it takes to get the deal he wants, as evidenced by what happened with Drouin (19 months to get it done) and St. Louis (two months) in Tampa. Larkin, as with all players, has a limited shelf life, so if he really wants to go to a contender, he needs to be flexible. Some teams have windows opening, while others have windows closing.

 

[Euro Twins]

This is the debrincat situation. But against us

 

[Ricelund]

We have enough goalie prospects. Some are closer than we know to playing in Detroit. What I COULD see is Guerin moving Wallstedt to another team to get the assets SY wants (3-way trade).

Let me edit and add that if he traded Larkin for Wallstedt, I would be one of many fans burning my 19 jersey. That would be awful asset management. No goaltender in history won a Cup stopping 27 high quality scoring chances a game with zero run support.

Goaltending isn’t even our issue. The low hanging fruit when you can’t score or get the puck out of your zone is look at the goalie. Great teams have supported below average goaltending. Great goalies have never carried below average teams.

Augustine, Cossa, and Postava still haven't done what Wallstedt's done in the NHL. He's more of a known quantity and the others could be used in separate trades if they acquire Wallstedt.

No one's saying trade Larkin for Wallstedt straight up. Having the goalie problem solved for the next 5-10 years would be a nice step forward for the long-term.

 

[Ricelund]

This is the debrincat situation. But against us

Not as bad. Ottawa gave up a 1st/2nd/3rd for DeBrincat and had no leverage because he was an RFA when he asked for the trade.

 

[jkutswings]

It's not close by any metric. Ownership isn't nearly as bad. Look at the records of the Red Wings from 1967 to 1986. They almost never made the playoffs in an era when practically every team did.

The current Red Wings have improved all but one season and missed the playoffs by a tiebreaker in a league that's more competitive and salary capped.

It may feel like it after 20+ years of success, but this is still not even close to the Dead Wings era. It was longer and it was worse.

Another era can be worse by a mile, and this one can still be unacceptably crappy.