Dylan Larkin Trade Options Dwindle as Two Teams Drop Out of the Race

Dylan Larkin remains firm in wanting a trade request from the Red Wings, but now, two top contenders have cooled on the idea, leaving just one potential candidate for now.

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Right now, the future of the Detroit Red Wings is firmly up in the air, as fans are not only waiting on the appointment of a new GM and President of Hockey Operations, but also hoping to resolve the drama involving captain Dylan Larkin.

Earlier this off-season, the 30-year-old requested a trade from the only team he's known during his NHL tenure, giving then GM/POHO Steve Yzerman a three-team trade list, one that he would later expand to involve the Dallas Stars. It's been months; however, as of right now, nothing has changed, and even with the front office moving in a new direction, Larkin remains firm in his stance that he wants to be dealt.

With the regular season now less than two months away, fans are patiently waiting for a resolution to this situation, but with the latest development, that happening anytime soon is even more unlikely.

Two Contenders Pull out of the Race to Acquire Dylan Larkin

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The three initial teams on Larkin's accepted list were the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights, all of whom featured key members of the Gold Medal-winning US Olympic Team that Larkin was a part of in 2026. Unfortunately, the Red Wings' asking price has made negotiations rather slow, and according to The Athletic's Michael Russo on the latest The Sheet episode, both the Panthers and Golden Knights no longer have interest in acquiring him.

Whether that's due to the asking price of a 1C in return for Larkin or simply not having the overall assets/salary cap space, these two teams are officially out of the race, even though they were always long shots to land him given what it would have taken to make a deal happen.

Can the Red Wings Still Trade Dylan Larkin?

Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, Minnesota is in the box seat to acquire Larkin, with Russo confirming they still have interest. The team is reportedly not willing to give in to Detroit's current asking price, one that could change with a new front office coming in. There's been no time when the two parties have been close to getting a deal done.

As a result, the most likely outcome in this situation is a reconciliation that sees Larkin return to Detroit this upcoming season, unless the long-time Red Wings center were to expand his trade list. If that were to happen, the likes of San Jose, Montreal, Utah and New Jersey would reportedly be interested, but for now, nothing has changed for Larkin's camp, as he remains adamant about a trade to one of his four teams.

What that means is that with the current situation, a trade is very, very unlikely, so unless the team lowers their asking price and accepts a futures offer from Minnesota or Larkin expands his list, something he's been unwilling to do thus far, all roads could lead to No. 71 returning to Detroit, at least to begin the 2026/27 regular season.