The Dylan Larkin situation in Detroit looks like it’s nearing the finish line, and the New Jersey Devils have the kind of pieces that could push a deal across. The Red Wings center has been kept out of the lineup while the team works toward a final agreement, and the real question now is not whether he moves, but which team gives Detroit the package it wants.
New Jersey is firmly in that mix. Larkin’s no-trade clause includes the Devils on his list of acceptable destinations, and after last week’s trade for Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets, it’s not hard to connect the dots.
New Jersey has already taken a big swing, and the idea of building something resembling a USA Olympic group is hard to miss with Jack Hughes, Hellebuyck and possibly Larkin in the same lineup. That kind of core would also give the Devils a jump-start if they want to try to bring Quinn Hughes in during the summer.
General manager Sunny Mehta has made it clear he isn’t treating the roster as finished. “We’re never done.
We’re never done,” Mehta stated during the Hellebuyck introductory press conference. He has already shown a willingness to move aggressively, and his offseason trades backed that up.
If there’s a path to Larkin, Mehta sounds like someone who would at least push hard to take it.
The challenge is figuring out what Detroit wants. Shawn Horcoff and the Red Wings have to decide whether they’re aiming to retool or rebuild, and that choice shapes the return. The Jets reportedly asked the Devils for a package that included young NHL players, a prospect and draft picks, and Detroit can ask for something similar, though likely with fewer pieces coming back because Larkin is not Hellebuyck’s equal as a player.
That’s where New Jersey’s hand gets a little tricky. The Devils do have young NHL talent to include, but Arseny Gritsyuk has made himself a tough player to move after putting up six goals and four assists in 13 games. That leaves the more likely NHL pieces coming from the bottom six, which may not be enough to excite the Red Wings on their own.
The prospect that stands out most is Anton Silaev. He’s described as a big shutdown defenseman with high-end NHL potential, though he still needs time. For Detroit, he would have appeal both as a future building block and as a possible eventual answer for Simon Edvinsson, who is also said to be at odds with the team and wants a trade.
New Jersey also has draft capital to work with. The Devils own two first-round picks in the 2027 draft, and that gives them flexibility. They could use one in a Larkin package and hold onto the other, or push all the chips in and send both to Detroit if the Red Wings lean more toward rebuilding.
Even then, the Devils may not top the best offers on the board. Teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild and Washington Capitals can offer Detroit a young center in return, which is a major advantage. New Jersey may not win a bidding war in that sense, but it can still put together a fair offer that fits what the Red Wings are looking for.
The real question is whether Mehta wants to spend that kind of asset package on Larkin at all. The fit is obvious in some ways: he’s a two-way, top-six center who can play center or wing, drive speed and skill, and help in every situation. He would give the Devils matchup options they don’t already have, whether that means centering a third line in a playoff series or sliding onto a Hughes or Hischier line to add another layer of offense.
He also gives New Jersey more insurance. The Devils have already had problems when one of their top players goes down, and Larkin would help soften that blow.
More than anything, he would give them another elite weapon, which matters because the recent contenders have been built around depth and the ability for multiple players to catch fire and take over games. That’s the kind of move Mehta can make if he wants to take this group up another level.
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