Speculation: Larkin trade return

[Shaman464]

I think that any trade with Robertson to Detroit is under the notion of sign and trade, which means Robertson has agreed to sign with Detroit. Why he would do that, money, mainly. Does he care about his long term value if he can lock in a max term contract worth $12-14 million in the final moments of the 8 year contract?

I'm not saying he can, would or should want to come here, but you never know.

I don't see Dallas doing it because I think they can get a better hockey trade than Larkin. I don't think Robertson does it because if money is his motivator he can still find teams with a good young core that are way under the cap and can send Dallas back a kings ransom.

 

[jkutswings]

Some context that should be shaping short vs long term strategy:

2026 Division Standings
BUF 109
TB 106
MTL 106
BOS 100
OTT 99
DET 92
FLA 84
TOR 78

CAR 113
PIT 98
PHI 98
WSH 95
CBJ 92
NYI 91
NJ 87
NYR 77

For 2027 in the Metro I think Carolina and Washington are locks to make the playoffs. I think Pittsburgh takes a step back and thus Philly likely gets the third spot. In the Atlantic I think Montreal, Tampa, and Florida are all getting in.

I think Boston gets one of the wild card spots. So we're down to one spot between the following question marks:
* Buffalo losing Byram and Tuch
* Ottawa losing Brady and gaining Eklund
* Toronto gaining Radysh and McKenna
* Detroit

I honestly don't see a path to a playoff spot, no matter what Detroit gets back for Larkin. It might take 98 points to get in this year.

 

[JediOrderPizza]

I don't see Dallas doing it because I think they can get a better hockey trade than Larkin. I don't think Robertson does it because if money is his motivator he can still find teams with a good young core that are way under the cap and can send Dallas back a kings ransom.

Larkin is the top trade target right now. What is a better hockey trade out there?

 

[wingsfannnn9191]

If it was Minnesota that offer will be there in November.

That offer will never be there

 

[Shaman464]

just listened to it - the speculation was it could be a 3 way deal. But he was pretty clear that Dallas wants Larkin.

I got to think that it could be something like:

Buffalo: Robertson

Dallas: Larkin

Detroit: A basket of picks and prospects from Buffalo and Dallas.

 

[Frk It]

Robertson has led Dallas in scoring for four straight years. The kid is being highly underrated.

I’d be pretty happy with that return.

I’d assume there would also be some subsequent moves lined up. I’d wait to see what those might be and how it all plays out.

But that would be a nice start in my book.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I don't see Dallas doing it because I think they can get a better hockey trade than Larkin. I don't think Robertson does it because if money is his motivator he can still find teams with a good young core that are way under the cap and can send Dallas back a kings ransom.

I shudder at the thought of typing this, but he did also live in Michigan as a young hockey playing youth. Maybe the family still has ties nearby. His brother is in Toronto.

Again, crazier things have happened.

 

[Shaman464]

Larkin is the top trade target right now. What is a better hockey trade out there?

I am going to bet a lot of teams will ante up for Robertson if Dallas can't make a deal.

 

[JediOrderPizza]

I am going to bet a lot of teams will ante up for Robertson if Dallas can't make a deal.

Right but a hockey trade is a player for player.

 

[Frk It]

I shudder at the thought of typing this, but he did also live in Michigan as a young hockey playing youth. Maybe the family still has ties nearby. His brother is in Toronto.

Again, crazier things have happened.

I chuckle at this pic

 

[datsyukfan]

Sean Shapiro says Buffalo has interest in Larkin and Robertson.

Would you guys do #4 + Norris for Larkin?

 

[Shaman464]

Right but a hockey trade is a player for player.

Yeah, and I would bet that a lot of very good teams would move players like Boldy or Marner or whoever if it meant they could get a few years of Robertson. Larkin for Robertson wouldn't be a hockey trade anyway because it would almost certainly require Detroit to add futures or young roster players to it.

 

[JediOrderPizza]

Robo.

 

[dj4aces]

Detroit: A basket of picks and prospects from Buffalo and Dallas.

Incredibly doubtful Stevie accepts that return for what is arguably the top center available on the market.

 

[JediOrderPizza]

Yeah, and I would bet that a lot of very good teams would move players like Boldy or Marner or whoever if it meant they could get a few years of Robertson. Larkin for Robertson wouldn't be a hockey trade anyway because it would almost certainly require Detroit to add futures or young roster players to it.

Minny isn't moving Boldy and Marner has a NMC like most the league does.

 

[Shaman464]

Minny isn't moving Boldy and Marner has a NMC like most the league does.

And Dallas isn't going to trade Robo for Larkin without it costing Detroit Ed and/or next year's first.

Also players waive NMCs all the time. Look at Larkin.

 

[Axel Sandy Pelikan]

nothing to read into those comments.

Yep.

Montreal was very good this year. Buffalo was very good this year. The Red Wings were very good until March and fell off, so they want to be better.

What’s the point of that tweet? Buffalo and Montreal succeeded in advancing in 2025-26. Detroit didn’t and was still looking to do so

 

[ShanahanMan]

I shudder at the thought of typing this, but he did also live in Michigan as a young hockey playing youth. Maybe the family still has ties nearby. His brother is in Toronto.

Again, crazier things have happened.

Dad was a Red Wings fan growing up and apparently both brothers spend the summers in Michigan for training.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

I’m kind of on the “Robo doesn’t make sense” train from Dallas. Not that we don’t want him but the hold up here is DAL trying to figure out how to get Larkin WITH Robo so they can push to win now and have the 1:2 set for the next 3-4 years with Wyatt.

What if this is them trying to get Robo to agree to come down to 12 because they need it for Larkin,

And send us Harley, Bourque, Hemming, and their 2027

And the Ed talk to date was all contingency planning to see what he netted with Harley in the fold?

 

[Shaman464]

Yep.

Montreal was very good this year. Buffalo was very good this year. The Red Wings were very good until March and fell off, so they want to be better.

What’s the point of that tweet? Buffalo and Montreal succeeded in advancing in 2025-26. Detroit didn’t and was still looking to do so

There is no way Detroit moves forward with Copp, Compher and Kasper as your top 3 centers. I think even the most incompetent CTE'd out former NHLers that staff the Wings upper echelon of management understand that losing Larkin at minimum makes it very hard to be in the same position as they were opening night last season, and likely pushes them back into some type of rebuild.

 

[Waldorf]

only pause I have about Robertson is the infinite Copp theory we have going right now for our center depth. Hopefully one of Finnie, Kasper and Danielson figure something out this coming season

 

[Claypool]

Dad was a Red Wings fan growing up and apparently both brothers spend the summers in Michigan for training.

Tons of players do training and skate together during the summers in Michigan.

 

[Shaman464]

Dad was a Red Wings fan growing up and apparently both brothers spend the summers in Michigan for training.

If being close to home was a major draw players wouldn't be bolting from Canadian franchises first chance they get.

 

[Winger98]

Would you guys do #4 + Norris for Larkin?

I'd really want Konsta Helenius with it since Norris has played more than 60 games just once in his career.

 

[SirloinUB]

Tons of players do training and skate together during the summers in Michigan.

It frustrates the hell out of me that all of these team USA guys want to play together but Larkin never convinced any of them to come play in Detroit.

Obviously a big piece of this is on Yzerman to create an attractive environment and subsequently acquire the guys.

Detroit should be a USA hockey hotbed. And yet...