The idea sounds wild at first, but it’s out there now: the Dallas Stars could be the team trying to pull Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin out of Columbus and Detroit.
That’s the buzz after Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the possibility on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, where he tied Dallas to both American stars. Werenski and Larkin are not just two of the biggest names floating around the trade market - they’re also close friends, which is part of what makes the pairing so intriguing.
Friedman said:
“I really do think Dallas is interested in Werenski. On its face, I find it hard to believe that there’s a better trade out there for Columbus, if it’s real, than Thomas Harley.
The one thing about Dallas is part of me has wondered if a team could pull off both guys. Like Werenski and Larkin are really tight-is there a team that could do both?
I look at teams like Vegas and Dallas and I just wonder, could they do both? It’s harder, I think, for Vegas,”
Werenski is 28 and has two years left on the six-year, $57.5 million extension he signed with the Blue Jackets in 2021. Larkin, 29, has five years remaining on the eight-year, $69.6 million extension he signed with the Red Wings in 2023.
If Dallas actually landed both players, the ripple effects would be massive. The source material makes clear that a deal like that would almost certainly send Jason Robertson out the door, and Thomas Harley could be involved as well.
It would be a huge swing for GM Jim Nill, no doubt about it. But the Stars have been in the contender conversation for much of the last eight seasons, and they still haven’t broken through to win a Stanley Cup. That’s why the idea of a bold change, or a major addition, is now sitting right in the middle of the conversation.
In Other News...
Jason Robertson Trade Saga Just Took A Much More Serious Turn
Jason Robertsons contract standoff has already outgrown the usual restricted-free-agent drama, and the latest reporting only adds another layer to it. Elliotte Friedman reported that Dallas and Pittsburgh did discuss the winger in trade talks, a sign the situation has moved beyond simple leverage play and into real league-wide maneuvering. Robertson remains one of the biggest names still in limbo, and the fact that other teams are circling tells you how complicated this has become for the Stars.
The Penguins make some sense on paper because they have the cap room to chase a player of Robertsons caliber, but the harder part is always what Dallas would actually want back. For the Stars, this is no longer just about keeping a star winger happy, it is about deciding whether any return would justify moving one of their most important offensive pieces. And with Robertsons future still unsettled, that question is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Fans Need To Brace For A Massive Core Player Decision
The trade market around the NHL is still active coming out of the Entry Draft, but the ground is shifting fast as teams weigh what their picks are actually worth and how aggressive they want to be now that the draft has passed. Elliotte Friedman said those changing conditions matter for clubs like Dallas, which is still trying to navigate a busy summer and keep track of bigger-name players who could suddenly come into play if their current teams decide to listen.
One name that keeps surfacing is Jason Robertson, and the situation has turned into the kind of core-player decision that can reshape a franchises direction. Robertson has one year left on his contract after turning down a long-term extension, and the Stars now have to decide whether to keep pushing for a resolution or see whether the market opens up enough to force a tougher conversation later in the summer. [Read more 🡒]