Dylan Larkin’s future in Detroit is suddenly the kind of situation the Maple Leafs have to watch closely.
The Red Wings captain is in a standoff with the organization, and if that ends with him moving on, Toronto could be one of the teams that benefits from the fallout in the Atlantic. Larkin asked for a trade this summer, initially naming only three teams before widening the list a bit. Even after Steve Yzerman stepped down, the expectation that the relationship might improve hasn’t changed the basic reality: Larkin still wants out of Detroit.
That would be a massive loss for the Red Wings. Larkin isn’t just one of their best players - he’s their best centre and their captain. He finished this past season with 67 points in 74 games, added a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, and has piled up 643 points in 808 career games, all in Detroit.
The problem for the Red Wings is that there isn’t an obvious answer waiting behind him. Their current depth chart, according to Puckpedia, lists Andrew Copp, JT Compher, and Michael Rasmussen as the other centers, and none of them bring the same blend of offence and defence that Larkin does.
He’s more than a scorer, too. At $8.7-million, he’s a bargain compared with deals like Leo Carlsson’s ($18M AAV) and Trevor Zegras’ ($9.125M AAV), while still giving a team a proven 30-plus goal threat who can work the power play, kill penalties, and help younger players along.
Detroit would get a strong return in any trade, but that doesn’t solve the immediate problem. Young assets take time, and if Larkin is moved, the Red Wings could be staring at a couple seasons before those pieces are ready to matter. In the short term, it would hit their playoff hopes hard.
That’s where Toronto comes in. The Maple Leafs don’t need to land Larkin themselves to gain from the situation. If Detroit loses its captain, and Ottawa has already lost Brady Tkachuk to the Panthers, that’s two rivals taking major hits in a beefed-up Atlantic Division.
Toronto has already reshaped its roster this summer by overhauling the bottom six, adding Sergei Bobrovsky for goaltending insurance, and drafting Gavin McKenna. It’s a new-look group heading into 2026-27, and it may not need to be the best team in the division right away. It just needs a little room to climb.
If Detroit slips without Larkin, the Leafs have a real chance to pass them. One hot streak could even put Toronto into the conversation for the top three in the Atlantic, especially if the Red Wings can’t keep pace. Larkin may not be coming to Toronto, but if he leaves Detroit, the Maple Leafs still stand to gain.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Have A Veteran Winger Gamble Worth Watching
The Maple Leafs have spent the offseason adding pieces and reworking the edges of their roster, and the forward group still looks like an area where another veteran could make sense. With new faces already in the mix, Toronto has at least considered whether a low-risk addition might help round out the depth chart and give the coaching staff another experienced option to sort through in camp.
One name that fits that kind of conversation is a winger with a long NHL track record and a championship on his rsum, even if his recent scoring has not matched earlier peaks. The appeal for Toronto is obvious: a player like that could be worth a look on a professional tryout or a short-term deal, especially if the Leafs want more proven depth without committing much term or money. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Fans Just Got A New Reason To Watch Erik Karlsson
Erik Karlssons future in Pittsburgh is already drawing attention, and for Maple Leafs fans, it comes with a familiar subplot. Josh Yohe of The Athletic laid out a scenario in which the Penguins could become sellers if they are not in the mix by midseason, with Karlsson emerging as one of the biggest names to watch. If Pittsburgh stays competitive, the club could simply ride out the season with him and then decide not to bring him back, a possibility that reflects both his age and the size of the contract still attached to him.
For Toronto, the intrigue is obvious because the Leafs have been linked in speculation around high-end blue-line help before, and Karlssons name naturally fits that conversation. Ottawa has also surfaced as another possible landing spot, which only adds to the sense that this could become one of the more closely watched storylines if the Penguins season goes sideways. For now, it is just a watch item, but one that could get louder quickly depending on how Pittsburgh looks as the calendar turns. [Read more 🡒]
Maple Leafs Just Hit A Familiar Wall In Fantilli Pursuit
Adam Fantillis name has been circling the Maple Leafs for a while now, and the appeal is obvious. The 21-year-old has put together a strong recent stretch, he remains unsigned, and he fits the kind of talent Toronto would love to add if the opportunity ever lined up. The problem is that this is exactly the sort of move that sounds cleaner on paper than it does in the cap era, especially when offer-sheet rules and draft-pick compensation enter the picture.
Toronto is already operating well above the cap, and making a real run at Fantilli would require more than just interest. The Leafs would need to create major room, then sort out the draft-pick side of the equation before they could even think about putting a competitive number on the table. In practical terms, that means moving money out and rebuilding the kind of flexibility that has been hard for this front office to find, which is why the pursuit feels more like a familiar frustration than a realistic path right now. [Read more 🡒]