In what can only be described as a Thursday shocker, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has reportedly requested a trade out of the Motor City, according to the always‑reliable Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. It’s the kind of news that stops the hockey world in its tracks. For Detroit, it’s nothing short of seismic.
There are really only two ways this can go for the Red Wings, and neither is pretty. First, their long, grinding push back toward playoff relevance takes a massive hit. Second, Steve Yzerman’s tenure, still often mythologized, perhaps now mocked, as the “Yzerplan,” suddenly looks fragile, if not outright doomed. When your captain and your most consistent offensive driver wants out, especially a guy that grew up in the city, the organizational foundation shakes.
If I’m Don Waddell, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ General Manager and President of Hockey Operations, I’m picking up the phone before I even finish reading the report. Larkin has a full no‑movement clause, meaning any trade hinges entirely on where he wants to go.
But Columbus has a built‑in advantage: his best and lifelong friend Zach Werenski is already here, and Larkin is the same age, 29, with an extremely team‑friendly $8.7 million AAV locked in through 2031. You simply do not find 30‑goal, ~0.90 points‑per‑game centers at that price anymore.
What would it take to pry him out of Detroit?
The closest comparables are recent blockbusters: Bo Horvat to the Islanders, Pierre‑Luc Dubois to the Kings, and going a bit further back, Mark Stone to Vegas. The pattern is consistent. These deals typically involve the following:
Two or three roster players, usually a mix of young talent and a proven NHLer, plus a pick or two, or a single blue‑chip prospect, proven roster player, and two high-value picks.
Columbus fans have already floated a package this offseason that fits the mold:
- Kent Johnson
- Dmitri Voronkov
- 2026 14th overall pick
- St. Louis’ 2026 second‑rounder
It’s a legitimate starting point, but there’s a wild card here: Larkin’s leverage. If he’s only willing to go to one or two specific markets, an Artemi Panarin‑style situation, the price could drop dramatically.
Detroit may have to take what it can get, or simply hold onto him for the remaining five years of team control and suffer a Egor Chinkakhov in Columbus type situation. Regardless, Larkin’s no‑trade clause gives him absolute veto power.
If Columbus did land him, the fit is obvious. Larkin is a bona fide top‑six forward who primarily plays center and shoots left. He could slot on the top line, pushing Adam Fantilli to left wing, or he could anchor the second line between Conor Garland and whichever young winger wins the job, Johnson, Voronkov, or someone else. Larkin can play wing, but he’s at his best driving play down the middle.
