The Colorado Avalanche have long been a natural magnet for veterans chasing a shot at the Stanley Cup, so it’s not exactly shocking to hear their name attached to another big one. This time, the link involves Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin, and the connection surfaced through Elliotte Friedman on the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast.
Friedman said Larkin’s list of preferred destinations has grown beyond the original trio that was reported earlier this summer. He put Colorado in that mix, along with Washington, Dallas and Tampa.
“I think some of the other teams that are Colorado, Washington, and I suspect in case people didn’t know them already, Dallas and Tampa.”
That’s a notable shift from the initial word that Larkin had three preferred spots: Florida, Vegas and Minnesota. None of those three, according to the source material, have shown serious interest in him.
Still, Friedman’s comment is just that - a comment about where Larkin would be willing to go, not evidence that the Avalanche have opened the door on a deal. Colorado being on the list does not mean Colorado is actively pursuing him.
And when you look at the practical side of it, the path gets messy fast.
Detroit’s asking price for Larkin is described as enormous, and interim GM Shawn Horcoff does not appear eager to drop it just to force a trade. Larkin also seems willing to keep playing even with a trade request in the background, which removes any sense of urgency for the Red Wings.
From Colorado’s side, there are major hurdles too. Joe Sakic would be looking at an $8.7 million cap hit, and that alone would require the Avalanche to move a serious amount of salary to make room. The source also says Detroit is not expected to retain salary, which makes the math even uglier.
Then there’s the roster fit. Larkin would be stepping into a lineup that already has Brock Nelson, another gold-medal winner, and that creates an obvious logjam.
It raises the awkward questions: would Nelson get pushed down the lineup, or would he have to be included in a deal? The source dismisses those ideas as nonstarters.
So while Colorado now sits on Larkin’s expanded wish list, the reality is that a move there does not look remotely clean. The piece’s conclusion is blunt: unless Detroit were to retain half of Larkin’s cap hit and settle for something as light as two fifth-round picks, this is not the kind of deal that makes sense for the Avalanche.
Even so, the door isn’t completely shut. If the situation becomes untenable, the idea of Larkin landing in Colorado could gain traction.
In Other News...
T.J. Hughes Just Made Colorados Final Roster Call Much Harder
T.J. Hughes gave the Avalanche one more thing to think about in their preseason win over the Winnipeg Jets, piling up a hat trick and an assist in a performance that was hard to ignore. Jared Bednar even spent part of the game testing Hughes at center before moving him back to the wing, a small lineup wrinkle that said plenty about how Colorado is still sorting out the edges of its roster ahead of opening night.
For a team trying to settle on the right mix, Hughes night only made the competition tighter. Hes in the group battling for a spot, and a showing like this does not make the decision any easier for the coaching staff as the Avalanche weigh who fits best when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Trade Buzz Around Dylan Larkin Just Got More Real
Trade chatter around Dylan Larkin has taken on a little more weight around the Avalanche, with Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Red Wings center has expanded his list of preferred destinations to include Colorado. It is the kind of development that instantly gets attention in this market, where the Avs are always weighing whether there is another high-end piece out there who can fit their pace, their core and their championship timeline.
Colorado is also still sorting through its own early roster picture after its third preseason game, when T.J. Hughes made a loud case for himself with a hat trick and four points while battling for a spot. The Avalanche are in that familiar position of trying to balance present-day ambition with roster decisions at the margin, and any serious talk about a player of Larkins caliber only adds another layer to what could become one of the more closely watched storylines in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Are Betting On Zachary L'Heureux's Edge For The Playoffs
The Avalanche did not bring in Zachary L'Heureux for subtlety. They saw a forward who can hit, hunt pucks and make life miserable on the forecheck, the kind of edge that can matter when the games tighten up in the playoffs and the stars need a little more room to work.
The bet, of course, is that his aggression can be harnessed rather than repeated history getting in the way. Colorado is looking for him to grow into a steady NHL role, one that brings reliable effort at both ends and gives the lineup some useful muscle, but the challenge is turning that physical style into an asset the Avalanche can count on when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]