Do the Red Wings Need to Change Their Asking Price for Dylan Larkin?

Dylan Larkin reportedly wants out from the Detroit Red Wings, but with little movement, the team may need to lower their asking price.

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

The Detroit Red Wings struggled again in 2025/26, and while they've got a bright future with some very exciting young players, their decisions over the next few months could define that future and whether or not they can return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As of right now, the team is going through the process of hiring a new General Manager, and whenever that happens, the pressure will be on immediately for that person to make some moves to help the future and present of this team.

The most important decision will revolve around captain Dylan Larkin, who has maintained his trade request despite the departure of Steve Yzerman, but to make a deal happen, the team may need to change things up.

Can the Red Wings Get Their Asking Price in a Trade of Dylan Larkin?

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

When Larkin made that trade request, he gave the Red Wings three teams he would be traded to: Minnesota, Vegas and Florida, but later expanded that team to four by adding on the Dallas Stars, with each and every team having teammates of his from the US Olympic team.

However, no trade has appeared as of right now, and while the team doesn't yet have a new GM in place to make that happen, there have been plenty of opportunities for them to make a deal, but one has not come to fruition yet.

The most obvious trade partner for Detroit has been the Minnesota Wild, but the Red Wings don't appear too interested in what they have to offer, with Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press recently reporting that the team are seeking a 1C in return for Larkin.

That in of itself is questionable, as Larkin himself isn't a dominant 1C, and on a contending team, many see him as a capable 2C if not a low-end 1C, but right now, none of those four teams are entertaining the idea of moving a top-end center to land Larkin, who has a career high of 79 points.

Should Detroit Lower Their Asking Price for Dylan Larkin?

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

That has led to the question being asked: should Detroit lower its asking price?

Simply put, unless Larkin expands his list, the team will have to lower that price if they want to get a deal done, because none of Florida (Barkov), Minnesota (Eriksson-Ek), Dallas (Johnston) or Vegas (Eichel) would be willing to move their top center.

Not only that, recent comparables for a Larkin trade such as Nazem Kadri, Brayden Schenn and Brock Nelson show that getting a 1C in return isn't realistic for a center on the wrong side of 30, with those players mostly being dealt for futures, rather than immediate help.

Sure, teams may value Larkin higher than those players, and the Red Wings have the right to ask for whatever they want from opposing teams in a Larkin trade, especially given the relatively cheap contract that he's on, but if they want a deal to get done, a move involving draft picks or prospects may be the best path forward for Detroit.

Ultimately, until Larkin expands his trade list, there's very little likelihood that he could get dealt anyway, and as St. James mentions in her report, a reconciliation with the new front office may be the way to go, as a 30-year-old who has never scored more than 80 points simply isn't worth a top-line center to the teams he will accept a trade to.