What would you trade Larkin for... a thought exercise

[13to40]

Proably 2x 1st round picks + quality prospects.

But this isn't happening for the next five years.

And then we are a contender. And he will extend.

So, this is quite of out of realistical scenarios.

This team success is not about Larkin. It's about quality team depth through roster and our other kids panning out. Larkin is just fine.

You sir have hit the nail on the head.

2x1sts + B level prospect for a 1C who plays 200’ game on a team friendly deal.

I’m not sure why anyone would want to trade him to begin with. Local boy who’s been a wings fan all his life. Pours his heart and soul into this franchise.

I don’t think he’s a top 5 captain in the league, I don’t think he’s even a top 10, but with his contract and term, I don’t think you’re able to replace him with anyone on a better deal. Forget about match or better his production.

Would just be silly to trade Larkin, unless this team is about to start rebuilding again….

 

[FissionFire]

I love Larkin as a player. I question him as a leader. This team seems to consistently fold when the pressure is on. These past 2 seasons have been especially telling as they put themselves in the drivers seat and then immediately crumble and go on extended losing streaks. It’s happening too many years in a row to just brush it off.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

You sir have hit the nail on the head.

2x1sts + B level prospect for a 1C who plays 200’ game on a team friendly deal.

I’m not sure why anyone would want to trade him to begin with. Local boy who’s been a wings fan all his life. Pours his heart and soul into this franchise.

I don’t think he’s a top 5 captain in the league, I don’t think he’s even a top 10, but with his contract and term, I don’t think you’re able to replace him with anyone on a better deal. Forget about match or better his production.

Would just be silly to trade Larkin, unless this team is about to start rebuilding again….

Here’s the thing about Larkin; he’s not great defensively. Faceoff wins and hustle aside, he’s bad defensively. And that’s part of why someone who scores as much as he does is a big minus in his career. He’s not great on the PK. He’s not great at defending in the zone and taking away passing lanes. He’s ok on the forecheck and when the other team is rushing in the neutral zone.

Kasper is probably already better than him defensively, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Danielson is as well.

 

[13to40]

Here’s the thing about Larkin; he’s not great defensively. Faceoff wins and hustle aside, he’s bad defensively. And that’s part of why someone who scores as much as he does is a big minus in his career. He’s not great on the PK. He’s not great at defending in the zone and taking away passing lanes. He’s ok on the forecheck and when the other team is rushing in the neutral zone.

Kasper is probably already better than him defensively, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Danielson is as well.

Won’t disagree with you on any of what you mentioned. He isn’t great but he is good at most of it. Above average at the least.

The real question at hand, opinions of what he is good/bad at aside, is will you find a replacement/better version for the same dollar sign. Will you find somebody as dedicated to the organization? I don’t think so. Especially now with the cap trending upwards.

I don’t think trading Larkin helps this organization at all. If anything I think it would be a disaster trading him.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I love Larkin as a player. I question him as a leader. This team seems to consistently fold when the pressure is on. These past 2 seasons have been especially telling as they put themselves in the drivers seat and then immediately crumble and go on extended losing streaks. It’s happening too many years in a row to just brush it off.

He wasn’t playing when they folded last year. In fact I believe they played at a 100+ point pace with him in the lineup last year.

He hasn’t been as good this year to be sure. But I think the facts around last year actually sell how vital he is to the team.

The Dylan Larkin leadership confuses me. Half this board thinks five or six guys should be shot into space, but he needs to drag them there anyway. Okay interesting but feels like a lot of double speak.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

He wasn’t playing when they folded last year. In fact I believe they played at a 100+ point pace with him in the lineup last year.

He hasn’t been as good this year to be sure. But I think the facts around last year actually sell how vital he is to the team.

The Dylan Larkin leadership confuses me. Half this board thinks five or six guys should be shot into space, but he needs to drag them there anyway. Okay interesting but feels like a lot of double speak.

I really wonder if this year wasn’t just because the players gave up on Fester, but if they’re also frustrated with Yzerman.

Like you said, the team was at a 100 point pace with Larkin in the lineup. Raymond was on fire. Mo was consistently good.

Then we see Edvinsson, a clear upgrade on D left in the minors all year.
A team needing some help at the TDL and getting none.
Walman, the best regular partner Mo had traded for nothing.
Letting popular guys like Fabbri and Perron go.
Losing depth pieces like Ghost who were important to free agency.
Keeping Fester to start the year even though it was clear as daylight he lost the team last season.

If I were Mo I’d be frustrated that the partner management and coaching pushes on me is Ben Chiarot.
If I were Larkin I’d be frustrated with the org as a whole that they keep filling the 2C with Nielsen, Copp and Compher types.
As a player on the team I’d be frustrated that management ignores them when they’re signaling they’re ready to take the next step. And I think that happened last season.

If this team rebuilds I don’t want Yzerman and the 90s wings at the helm. I want a full revamp with modern hockey minds. I don’t want this rebuild to turn into the gong show we saw in Edmonton where they only hired glory days former players like MacTavish.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I really wonder if this year wasn’t just because the players gave up on Fester, but if they’re also frustrated with Yzerman.

Like you said, the team was at a 100 point pace with Larkin in the lineup. Raymond was on fire. Mo was consistently good.

Then we see Edvinsson, a clear upgrade on D left in the minors all year.
A team needing some help at the TDL and getting none.
Walman, the best regular partner Mo had traded for nothing.
Letting popular guys like Fabbri and Perron go.
Losing depth pieces like Ghost who were important to free agency.
Keeping Fester to start the year even though it was clear as daylight he lost the team last season.

If I were Mo I’d be frustrated that the partner management and coaching pushes on me is Ben Chiarot.
If I were Larkin I’d be frustrated with the org as a whole that they keep filling the 2C with Nielsen, Copp and Compher types.
As a player on the team I’d be frustrated that management ignores them when they’re signaling they’re ready to take the next step. And I think that happened last season.

If this team rebuilds I don’t want Yzerman and the 90s wings at the helm. I want a full revamp with modern hockey minds. I don’t want this rebuild to turn into the gong show we saw in Edmonton where they only hired glory days former players like MacTavish.

To pile on top of this I believe Emily Kaplan eluded to the room being disappointed with his trade deadline. I do think there is a lot of frustration in the room. I know every NHL room is very competitive, pro athletes in general have a competitive level most cannot even fully appreciate. With that said we have also made it a staple of the values of the guys we draft, if they don't think we are doing the right things to get better and burning out on the years of losing that is a real problem.

 

[SoupGuru]

But leadership is finding a way to move the guys past that. To stay motivated even in the face of that adversity. "You know maybe it would have been nice to get some fresh faces in here but whatever. No use crying over spilled milk. We still have a job to do and I'm looking forward to the chance to prove Yzerman right that the guys in this room have what it takes be a successful team."

It's the mopey attitudes that get to me and sometimes I feel like that is the attitude promoted by Larkin.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

But leadership is finding a way to move the guys past that. To stay motivated even in the face of that adversity. "You know maybe it would have been nice to get some fresh faces in here but whatever. No use crying over spilled milk. We still have a job to do and I'm looking forward to the chance to prove Yzerman right that the guys in this room have what it takes be a successful team."

It's the mopey attitudes that get to me and sometimes I feel like that is the attitude promoted by Larkin.

He has said that before. Faux leadership is ignoring the problems around you and delivering the same message. I find Larkin to be a pretty authentic guy, one of the things his teammates with various teams have talked about. There has never been a single rumor about Larkin in a negative way. People are wishing this to be a thing far more than it is in my opinion.

 

[JoesuffP]

Coming through the rebuild has kind of made it hard to properly judge the talent for what it is because they were our only guys in the beginning and we liked them. A core of Larkin, Raymond and Seider just stinks. They’re showing us who they are if you watched

 

[wingsfan17]

Yzerman needs to seriously entertain offers on Larkin in the offseason. We're just not getting it done with him. He is a good player, but we've seen that he's not good enough. Why not roll the dice and hope we can get pieces that are? He is the longest tenured Red Wing and has one career playoff win his rookie year, and has never made the playoffs since being named captain. The fact that he's a hometown guy and the captain really clouds people's judgment. I think it's hard for people to swallow that after 40 years of Red Wings captains being hall of famers, that Larkin isn't. It feels like it's blasphemy in this state to even suggest that Larkin might not be the chosen one. It's the same with Yzerman.

I'm not saying sell him for pennies on the dollar, no need to with his contract. But you have to at least be willing to pick up the phone and listen. He shouldn't be untouchable, not by a long shot.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

Something realistic i could see would be to Columbus. Can be with Werenski, still close to home. Jackets are on the bubble. They have Fantilli and Monohan so Johnson has been more used as a Winger

Even if he would be used as a W in detroit it’s a skill set we don’t have


K.Johnson 2026 1st + For Larkin

 

[stillwater]

Johnson 52 pts in 63 games, -3

Larkin 65 pts in 77 games, -12

Johnson becoming a top player at 22, Larkin is Larkin.

 

[squashmaple]

Something realistic i could see would be to Columbus. Can be with Werenski, still close to home. Jackets are on the bubble. They have Fantilli and Monohan so Johnson has been more used as a Winger

Even if he would be used as a W in detroit it’s a skill set we don’t have


K.Johnson 2026 1st + For Larkin

If it's Columbus, you're almost certainly looking at a futures package (or something around Sillinger, who is pushed out with what would be a center core of Monahan/Fantilli/Larkin). GMDW is ready to move to the next phase and Kent Johnson is a core piece, especially considering his contract and what he's already doing at age 22 this season. I can't possibly see Detroit entertaining a Larkin trade, but if they are, Columbus should be the first call.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

If the front office is confident one or both of Kasper and Danielson can be 70+ point guys like Larkin then what about a trade with the Canucks?

Lekkerimaki or 2025 1st + Willander + 2026 2nd for Larkin. That’s good prospect value for the price.

 

[RedHawkDown]

Something realistic i could see would be to Columbus. Can be with Werenski, still close to home. Jackets are on the bubble. They have Fantilli and Monohan so Johnson has been more used as a Winger

Even if he would be used as a W in detroit it’s a skill set we don’t have


K.Johnson 2026 1st + For Larkin

Zero chance CBJ do that. You have a better chance of getting Fantilli. Which they also won't do, but that one's at least not zero shot. Johnson is better than Larkin today and is signed for 1.8 for 2 more years.

 

[GarlicbreadTB]

What's the obsession with trading Larkin lately? Plus considering the stuff the Larkin family have gone through I don't think he would leave either.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Zero chance CBJ do that. You have a better chance of getting Fantilli. Which they also won't do, but that one's at least not zero shot. Johnson is better than Larkin today and is signed for 1.8 for 2 more years.

Kent Johnson is NOT better than Larkin TODAY....

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Kent Johnson is NOT better than Larkin TODAY....

Yeah, Larkin to Columbus isn’t happening unless either Fantilli or Kent Johnson or a top 5 draft pick are coming the other way and that just isn’t happening.

 

[wingsfannnn9191]

Woulda done it for byfield before he played better again .... he’s not going anywhere until his last 2 years. He won’t waive

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Woulda done it for byfield before he played better again .... he’s not going anywhere until his last 2 years. He won’t waive

Eh…I still think Byfield is all tools no toolbox. He MIGHT put up a couple 70 point seasons. A lot of the games I’ve seen him in the NHL he’s just kind of…there.

 

[wingsfannnn9191]

Eh…I still think Byfield is all tools no toolbox. He MIGHT put up a couple 70 point seasons. A lot of the games I’ve seen him in the NHL he’s just kind of…there.

He’s still 22 and 6’5 and could have grown with the future kids, outside of Soderblom and Rasmussen who sucks lots of smaller soft bodies upfront

L,a wouldn’t do that deal now ... anyways like I said he’ll never waive his ntc . Gotta wait till his last 2 yrs

 

[USAHockey97]

Not sure who would want Larkin other than playoff teams competing now. Which means we are probably looking at a decent prospect and a lower end 1st round pick. I don’t see any non-playoff teams trading their good young talent for an aging center. For better or worse, the wings are stuck with Larkin.

They can still win with him though. They need another elite winger and as good a 2C.

 

[Run the Jewels]

I decided to revisit this due to Larkin's comments. He's given thousands of interviews, so I think it's worth taking his frustration at face value. Let's just assume he's ready for a new project. What makes sense?

I would try to work a deal with the Blue Jackets. I think Larkin is super tight with Zach Weresnki, so he'd be able to play alongside one of his besties, sort of like Cat and Kane. Columbus would get a plug and play 1C in his prime. Larkin wouldn't have the burden of leadership as the BJs have a long-time captain. He'd still be very close to friends and family back in Michigan.

I'd want Adam Fantilli in return. He's 8 years younger, so you'd likely need to add a sweetener. I'm not sure what Columbus would want in return, but I'd make every effort to swing a trade that sends Fantilli to Detroit. Not at any cost, but I'd work hard to come up with a trade that works for both sides.

Basically it would be a hockey trade: Columbus gets a guy who helps them win right now, which is clearly what Dylan wants; Detroit gets a center whose prime will fit with the core building blocks who've been drafted by Yzerman.

Am I off here or would this make sense for both sides?

 

[minimal]

"Likely add a sweetener" is doing a lot of work here.