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

[stillwater]

But what you posted was that players don't want to play where they're not wanted.

There's no evidence to suggest that Larkin has been told by Yzerman that he's no longer wanted.

You're just creating a narrative that for all intent and purpose doesn't exist. Another world of make believe, that's not supported by anything at all tangible.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Not many players want to play in an environment where they know they are not wanted. It is more about controlling destination, than not being traded.

Who said he wasn't wanted?

 

[SCD]

We don't know if he is wanted or not. The issue would he accept a trade. If Yzerman tells Larkin that he wants to trade him, I believe he would accept a trade to a destination he feels comfortable as stated previously.

People post that Larkin would not accept a trade. My feeling is he would.

 

[Snuggs]

This is a Larkin thread.

If Yzerman notifies Larkin he doesn't see him as part of the future of this team and would like to arrange a trade, what do you think Larkin response is going to be? "I love Michigan?"

" Well I don't want to move yet and I'll wait to see if you get fired before my contract is up. "

Simple. Yzerman isn't the coach, locker-room, or player. It's not as hostile as you'd think if management doesn't like you.

Real catch 22 for Yzerman to offer the contract with the clause then turn around and ask him if he can trade him.

Fans want to blame Larkin for openly saying something vs holding Yzerman accountable for the roster. That's pretty much the bottom line. Anyone blaming Larkin isn't accounting the play of the many bad signings made, etc. If you're mad he's our best player, or one of them, again, need to look at how the roster was made, it's not Larkins fault he's the best center we have. It's also not his fault a rookie was the 2nd best this year playing the position for a quarter of the season.

 

[stillwater]

We don't know if he is wanted or not. The issue would accept a trade. If Yzerman tells Larkin that he wants to trade him, I believe he would accept a trade to a destination he feels comfortable as stated previously.

People post that Larkin would not accept a trade. My feeling is he would.

No, the issue is still there being zero evidence that he is not wanted. That you "feel" like it's the case means nothing at all without evidence. The issue of whether or not he'd accept a trade is completely irrelevant. We know he was wanted enough for the GM to make him his Captain, and then sign him to an 8-year extension. If that's not "he is wanted" enough for you, then by all means continue to espouse your conspiracy theories that hold no water.

You "feel" like he would accept a trade? What is your feeling based on? Is that evidence that he's not wanted, or are you also saying he doesn't want to be a Red Wing any longer? All this based on a short answer to a question in a season ending press conference.

I "feel" like Mo Seider is going to win the Rocket Richard award in 2025-2026. Therefore, it must be so.

 

[FMichael]

The Wings in the 80s were an incomplete team but the 86-87 to 88-89 teams were a team legitimately on the rise until the Goose Loonies incident. Bad goaltending and bad off ice behavior caused that team to break up and led to it being reinvented into what became the 90-91 and onward Wings. But when Devellano was GM he gave coaches a short leash and he was pretty active in trades to make the team better.

Not really. Mostly because all but 5 or 6 teams made the playoffs until 1993. So the Wings weren't very good early on but still made the playoffs despite not even being a .500 team.

Yeah - it was a bit of a rhetorical question on my part...IMHO Yzerman didn't languish on subpar teams as Larkin has...This team has been a revolving door of misfits/hasbeens/scallywags and it shows in the standings at the end of the season.

 

[Winger98]

" Well I don't want to move yet and I'll wait to see if you get fired before my contract is up. "

Simple. Yzerman isn't the coach, locker-room, or player. It's not as hostile as you'd think if management doesn't like you.

Real catch 22 for Yzerman to offer the contract with the clause then turn around and ask him if he can trade him.

Fans want to blame Larkin for openly saying something vs holding Yzerman accountable for the roster. That's pretty much the bottom line. Anyone blaming Larkin isn't accounting the play of the many bad signings made, etc. If you're mad he's our best player, or one of them, again, need to look at how the roster was made, it's not Larkins fault he's the best center we have. It's also not his fault a rookie was the 2nd best this year playing the position for a quarter of the season.

I didn't think Larkin's comments were anything special. Player blowing off steam. I was surprised Yzerman made such a big deal out of it in his follow up presser. But Larkin only signed this deal two summers ago. It didn't take a genius to look at the wings, at that time, and go "you know, might be pretty far from a playoff team." This is especially true given what Yzerman has said about building up the organization, and how they have slow walked nearly all of their prospects to some degree.

But here we are, two years later, and apparently this has shocked and offended the kid to the point where we heard rumors of him running his mouth to management earlier in the year that rubbed them the wrong way. The kid played hardball to get the contract he wanted here, on a team that was clearly less than contending, no shit we're not blowing first rounders to rent a guy to maybe get us into the first round of the playoffs.

The average fan here apparently has a greater perspective on how far the Wings were from contending two years ago than Larkin did. That's what irritates me.

 

[Winger98]

btw, if Larkin is dealt I'd lean toward it likely being because when Yzerman talked to him he asked if he wanted to be moved or if he's sticking around, and Larkin said he wanted to move. I don't think Yzerman proactively looks to deal Larkin, and then goes to Larkin asking if X trade is good for him.

 

[Snuggs]

I didn't think Larkin's comments were anything special. Player blowing off steam. I was surprised Yzerman made such a big deal out of it in his follow up presser. But Larkin only signed this deal two summers ago. It didn't take a genius to look at the wings, at that time, and go "you know, might be pretty far from a playoff team." This is especially true given what Yzerman has said about building up the organization, and how they have slow walked nearly all of their prospects to some degree.

But here we are, two years later, and apparently this has shocked and offended the kid to the point where we heard rumors of him running his mouth to management earlier in the year that rubbed them the wrong way. The kid played hardball to get the contract he wanted here, on a team that was clearly less than contending, no shit we're not blowing first rounders to rent a guy to maybe get us into the first round of the playoffs.

The average fan here apparently has a greater perspective on how far the Wings were from contending two years ago than Larkin did. That's what irritates me.

The year after he signed his new deal they missed the playoffs on a technicality with no help. I think it's' reasonable, more than reasonable to wonder why you weren't thrown a bone at either TDL while the team was contending. It's prolyl more frustrating when you watched the team almost get actively worst and be late to fire a lame duck head coach.

It's pretty logical to wonder what the heck when they're offing guys like Walman/Fabbri for picks but aren't helping the team gain anything while competing.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I didn't think Larkin's comments were anything special. Player blowing off steam. I was surprised Yzerman made such a big deal out of it in his follow up presser. But Larkin only signed this deal two summers ago. It didn't take a genius to look at the wings, at that time, and go "you know, might be pretty far from a playoff team." This is especially true given what Yzerman has said about building up the organization, and how they have slow walked nearly all of their prospects to some degree.

But here we are, two years later, and apparently this has shocked and offended the kid to the point where we heard rumors of him running his mouth to management earlier in the year that rubbed them the wrong way. The kid played hardball to get the contract he wanted here, on a team that was clearly less than contending, no shit we're not blowing first rounders to rent a guy to maybe get us into the first round of the playoffs.

The average fan here apparently has a greater perspective on how far the Wings were from contending two years ago than Larkin did. That's what irritates me.

2 summers ago the Wings looked closer to being a playoff team than they do going into 2025-26. I don't blame Larkin for signing that deal. I blame Yzerman for not building a good team around him.

 

[Winger98]

The year after he signed his new deal they missed the playoffs on a technicality with no help. I think it's' reasonable, more than reasonable to wonder why you weren't thrown a bone at either TDL while the team was contending. It's prolyl more frustrating when you watched the team almost get actively worst and be late to fire a lame duck head coach.

It's pretty logical to wonder what the heck when they're offing guys like Walman/Fabbri for picks but aren't helping the team gain anything while competing.

It's reasonable to wonder why your boss didn't do something he has said in damn near every presser that he's not doing? Yzerman has been pretty clear that he's not looking to deal any asset of significance for a rental. It's entirely unreasonable to sit there, listen to Yzerman say this. Watch him live the process he's said they are going to live, and then wonder why Yzerman isn't doing something different.

It was clear what the Wings were doing yesterday. It was clear two years ago when larkin signed his deal. Yzerman deviating from that plan should be way more unexpected than him staying the course, slowly working kids into the lineup, and icing a roster that was competitive.

2 summers ago the Wings looked closer to being a playoff team than they do going into 2025-26. I don't blame Larkin for signing that deal. I blame Yzerman for not building a good team around him.

really, you were calling them a playoff team two summers ago? You were pounding the table that they were a 95 point team?

 

[jkutswings]

This team has been a revolving door of misfits/hasbeens/scallywags and it shows in the standings at the end of the season.

Well now I want to Detroit to get a second minor league team: The Sault Ste. Marie Scallywags.

 

[Frk It]

It's reasonable to wonder why your boss didn't do something he has said in damn near every presser that he's not doing? Yzerman has been pretty clear that he's not looking to deal any asset of significance for a rental. It's entirely unreasonable to sit there, listen to Yzerman say this. Watch him live the process he's said they are going to live, and then wonder why Yzerman isn't doing something different.

It was clear what the Wings were doing yesterday. It was clear two years ago when larkin signed his deal. Yzerman deviating from that plan should be way more unexpected than him staying the course, slowly working kids into the lineup, and icing a roster that was competitive.



really, you were calling them a playoff team two summers ago? You were pounding the table that they were a 95 point team?

It’s a lot more of a fluid situation than you’re making it out to be.

The team just missed the playoffs 2 years ago and was looking ahead of schedule.

We followed that up by doing nothing in free agency and then nothing at the deadline.

For a guy who has not gotten to experience hardly any playoff hockey in his career, is it so hard to see that being frustrating?

Yzerman saying things take patience at press conferences should not allow him to just have an indefinite lack of expectations.

 

[Snuggs]

It's reasonable to wonder why your boss didn't do something he has said in damn near every presser that he's not doing? Yzerman has been pretty clear that he's not looking to deal any asset of significance for a rental. It's entirely unreasonable to sit there, listen to Yzerman say this. Watch him live the process he's said they are going to live, and then wonder why Yzerman isn't doing something different.

It was clear what the Wings were doing yesterday. It was clear two years ago when larkin signed his deal. Yzerman deviating from that plan should be way more unexpected than him staying the course, slowly working kids into the lineup, and icing a roster that was competitive.

Yeah, biggest hurdle I have is this vague term of significant assets... Whats the threshold?

Can't even come close to explaining to me someone wasn't available to the team better than guys like Shine/Berggren/Holl/etc who played a little down the stretch when games mattered. The teams PK was so bad someone could have helped there.

Idk if anyone was expecting first rounders moved, etc. but you could add while playing kids, slowly. I don't think either are exclusive from the other.

I'm not gonna look at every cheap(er) deal but guys like Zetterlund and Glass were moved for decent prices, young, and could have been a part of this thing longer-term. Idk if you make the playoffs but they would have helped and ridden this 'no help' excuse. Obviously I don't think Wings were in a position to make moves on guys like Marchand, or even like Bjorkstrand.

 

[SCD]

No, the issue is still there being zero evidence that he is not wanted. That you "feel" like it's the case means nothing at all without evidence. The issue of whether or not he'd accept a trade is completely irrelevant. We know he was wanted enough for the GM to make him his Captain, and then sign him to an 8-year extension. If that's not "he is wanted" enough for you, then by all means continue to espouse your conspiracy theories that hold no water.

You "feel" like he would accept a trade? What is your feeling based on? Is that evidence that he's not wanted, or are you also saying he doesn't want to be a Red Wing any longer? All this based on a short answer to a question in a season ending press conference.

I "feel" like Mo Seider is going to win the Rocket Richard award in 2025-2026. Therefore, it must be so.

Are you drinking?

The whole post was about would Larkin accept a trade, yet you are unable to grasp that simple point.

A lot happens in two years, but obviously Yzerman was not happy with Larkin's comments at the year end presser.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

It's reasonable to wonder why your boss didn't do something he has said in damn near every presser that he's not doing? Yzerman has been pretty clear that he's not looking to deal any asset of significance for a rental. It's entirely unreasonable to sit there, listen to Yzerman say this. Watch him live the process he's said they are going to live, and then wonder why Yzerman isn't doing something different.

It was clear what the Wings were doing yesterday. It was clear two years ago when larkin signed his deal. Yzerman deviating from that plan should be way more unexpected than him staying the course, slowly working kids into the lineup, and icing a roster that was competitive.



really, you were calling them a playoff team two summers ago? You were pounding the table that they were a 95 point team?

2 summers ago? I believe so. Last summer? I said they’d be maybe a .500 team.

 

[Winger98]

It’s a lot more of a fluid situation than you’re making it out to be.

The team just missed the playoffs 2 years ago and was looking ahead of schedule.

We followed that up by doing nothing in free agency and then nothing at the deadline.

For a guy who has not gotten to experience hardly any playoff hockey in his career, is it so hard to see that being frustrating?

Yzerman saying things take patience at press conferences should not allow him to just have an indefinite lack of expectations.

I'm not sure it is. As I said, Yzerman has stood by the plan he laid out originally. The one time he spent big assets? Debrincat, and Debrincat was in his mid20s, could be here long term, etc. After the initial grab at vets to just fill out the roster so we could ice a team, our UFA grabs have been short term, hopeful upgrades, but nothing that locked us into something beyond a few seasons (at most).

If I had to guess, we're going to see that continue this summer. The bright side is that if you like Miller, we're probably going after him. Bet we've had talks about Byram, too. Probably others. Downside is that Gavrikov? Doubt it. Same for Provorov. Might go after Lindgren as the fall back for striking out on Miller/Byram/Whoever. Or Orlov.

Would I love to see us sign Gavrikov? Yes, definitely. Especially with our lack of prospects looking ready to fill that spot. But at some point I think I have to take Yzerman at his word for how he's building things and the priorities he's set. Hope we land Miller tomorrow.

 

[Winger98]

Yeah, biggest hurdle I have is this vague term of significant assets... Whats the threshold?

Can't even come close to explaining to me someone wasn't available to the team better than guys like Shine/Berggren/Holl/etc who played a little down the stretch when games mattered. The teams PK was so bad someone could have helped there.

Idk if anyone was expecting first rounders moved, etc. but you could add while playing kids, slowly. I don't think either are exclusive from the other.

I'm not gonna look at every cheap(er) deal but guys like Zetterlund and Glass were moved for decent prices, young, and could have been a part of this thing longer-term. Idk if you make the playoffs but they would have helped and ridden this 'no help' excuse. Obviously I don't think Wings were in a position to make moves on guys like Marchand, or even like Bjorkstrand.

The snark in me would say a 2nd is incredibly significant given how much I've seen people lament the loss of one.

I like Zetterlund, and that was the one deal I felt we missed on, but neither he nor Glass have ever been PK guys. Carlo probably would have helped, and it seemed to be reported we just missed on him. But Carlo is also closer to what Yzerman has said he's looking for, so it makes sense we were in on him.

If you just wanted an upgrade on Shine, though...Craig Smith was that. I'm not sure Shine saw any games after that. If we wanted a more serious upgrade to the bottom half of our lineup, though, guys like Scott Laughton fetched a 1st.

I look at the Wings and if I have to be honest, I think the summer is their tdl as far as adding little pieces. We add a Gus, we add a Tank, short term things that don't cost much, carry little risk, but should give kids a cushion. Then it looks like we make our more serious adds with kids once the season starts. Our big adds last year were Kasper, Ed, and Albert.

Do I think the Wings don't attempt to do more? of course not, but when your trade targets are good players in their mid20s, I think those deals are hard to come by. And they won't get easier until we get more kids into the lineup who actually do something. Mazur doesn't get hurt, pots four or five goals and is a pain to play against and maybe a K'Andre Miller trade is already done.
edit: also was disappointed we didn't grab Fabbro. Noit a TDL move, but that felt like something we should have jumped no if we could.

 

[Frk It]

I'm not sure it is. As I said, Yzerman has stood by the plan he laid out originally. The one time he spent big assets? Debrincat, and Debrincat was in his mid20s, could be here long term, etc. After the initial grab at vets to just fill out the roster so we could ice a team, our UFA grabs have been short term, hopeful upgrades, but nothing that locked us into something beyond a few seasons (at most).

If I had to guess, we're going to see that continue this summer. The bright side is that if you like Miller, we're probably going after him. Bet we've had talks about Byram, too. Probably others. Downside is that Gavrikov? Doubt it. Same for Provorov. Might go after Lindgren as the fall back for striking out on Miller/Byram/Whoever. Or Orlov.

Would I love to see us sign Gavrikov? Yes, definitely. Especially with our lack of prospects looking ready to fill that spot. But at some point I think I have to take Yzerman at his word for how he's building things and the priorities he's set. Hope we land Miller tomorrow.

If we are talking about what Yzerman has said publicly, that is way too vague to be considered a “plan”.

Or if you’re making assumptions on what the plan is based on his actions, that is pretty subjective.