The idea of Dylan Larkin landing in Utah has been floated, but the fit isn’t exactly clean.
Utah Mammoth have already stacked up a strong offseason, one that looks like it may be finished after adding Vincent Trocheck, Anders Lee, Sebastian Cossa, and Andrew Peeke. That’s part of why a move for Larkin feels more like a luxury than a necessity.
HEAVY proposed Utah as a possible landing spot for the Detroit Red Wings center, but there’s a major catch: Larkin would need to widen his trade list, and Detroit would have to be willing to move him. Even then, the Mammoth would not be expected to overpay.
That matters because the names Utah would likely have to protect in any deal - Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers - should be off the table. And once those prospects are excluded, the rest of the conversation gets tricky.
Utah already has depth down the middle. Nick Schmaltz and Logan Cooley sit as the top two centers, with Barrett Hayton third. Trocheck also gives Utah another player who can handle center duties, which only reduces the urgency for Larkin.
The bigger issue is figuring out where Larkin would fit. He’d likely land on the top line, but that creates a ripple effect with Cooley and Schmaltz. Shifting Schmaltz to the second line doesn’t really make sense given how well Cooley and Dylan Guenther have worked together.
Dropping Schmaltz to the third line would be even harder to justify after the season he put together: 33 goals and 41 assists. He’s the kind of player who can swing games and serve as an offensive X-factor.
So while adding Larkin would give Utah another star, the roster doesn’t scream for it. If the Mammoth do kick the tires, they shouldn’t be handing over a premium prospect to make it happen.
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