Two weeks into the regular season, Dylan Larkin is still rocking a Red Wings jersey despite dropping a trade request back in June. He’s stuck in this wild, weird limbo, but seriously, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, was ready for what went down in Montreal on October 10th. Canadiens fans, in one of the game’s opening shifts at Bell Centre, started absolutely blasting, “We want Larkin!” It was mildly shocking, but you get it, right? Those fans see a player who could be the missing piece to a Stanley Cup puzzle, and they weren’t holding back.
“Interesting,” Says Larkin, As Trade Hurdles Mount
Larkin himself was totally taken aback. After the game, he even said, “It was interesting. I never would have imagined that in this building in my career, but they’re passionate fans.” Imagine that kind of love from an Original Six rival fanbase! It’s a stark contrast to his chilly opening night reception back home at Little Caesars Arena, where the guy was getting loudly booed. But credit where it’s due, Larkin bounced back just two games later against Ottawa, putting up a goal and an assist in a win. He got jeered at the start of that one too, but by the end, he was getting more cheers than boos and even snagged the No. 1 star honors.
But let’s be real: the fan love in Montreal, or the cheers in Detroit, doesn’t change the cold, hard fact that Larkin wants out. He’s got that no-trade clause, and he gave the Wings a list of about ten teams he’d agree to go to. Since June, that list has only grown. Here’s the kicker: there’s never been a single hint that Montreal, or any other Canadian team for that matter, is even on it.
The Salary Cap Squeeze Is Real
Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has been pretty clear: when it comes to Larkin and his trade request, everything is “status quo.” Meanwhile, other things ARE happening. Alex DeBrincat just signed a massive $91 million, seven-year extension on October 14th, making it the richest contract in Wings history. And Simon Edvinsson, a restricted free agent, is still unsigned, but Horcoff has said the Wings have “no desire” to trade him, despite all the recent speculation.
So, what’s the hang-up with Larkin? There was a little buzz last week when Horcoff and director of pro scouting Kris Draper were spotted at separate Minnesota Wild games. The Wild have always been on Larkin’s preferred list, and yeah, they definitely want him. But here’s the absolute killer: there’s no good player match the Wild can offer that would actually tempt the Wings. Plus, the salary cap is a beast. Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit means the Wild would have to offload a similar amount, and that’s just not easy.
It’s the same story for a bunch of other teams likely on Larkin’s list, like Florida, Vegas, Washington, Tampa Bay, Colorado, and Dallas. They’re all spending right to the ceiling of the salary cap. They can’t just snap their fingers and fit Larkin in without moving some serious bodies, probably key players that would, honestly, make getting Larkin pointless. It just shows you how unbelievably difficult it is to actually make a trade happen in this league. This saga just slogs on, and it feels like there’s no end in sight.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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