The Dylan Larkin trade conversation has already taken a wild turn, and now there’s a new layer to it: Detroit reportedly passed on a much bigger Minnesota Wild offer back in June.
Michael Russo said on Sportsnet’s Real Kyper & Bourne that the Red Wings turned down a significant package for Larkin, one he suggested was even stronger than what the Wild are believed to be offering now. He didn’t spell out the original pieces, but he did make the reaction he expects in Detroit pretty clear.
“I think if fans in Detroit knew what Yzerman originally turned down from the Wild way back in June, they’d throw up; the latest offer … Danila Yurov and multiple [firsts] … it doesn’t look like it’s gonna get it done.”
Minnesota’s current reported offer is centered around Yurov, the 22-year-old who was drafted 24th overall in 2022. He has six goals and one assist in 19 games this season while averaging 14:47 of ice time. Last year, he put up 12 goals and 27 points in 73 games as a rookie, and he’s under contract through 2027-28 at a $972,500 cap hit.
Elliotte Friedman added another layer to the reporting on Oilers NOW with Bob Stauffer on Nov. 10, saying the Wild’s standing offer is believed to include Yurov and three first-round picks. That’s a hefty haul of futures, but Detroit seems to be looking for more than draft capital and long-range upside.
The Red Wings want players who can help right away, not just a pile of picks and prospects. That’s been the sticking point. The club’s stance has not changed publicly, and interim hockey operations boss Shawn Horcoff described the situation as “status quo” on Nov. 10, when Detroit was 7-9-3 and sitting last in the Atlantic Division.
Larkin’s own situation has only made the story more complicated. He has 278 goals and 649 points in 818 games, all with Detroit, and he is in the fourth year of an eight-year deal carrying an $8.7 million cap hit through 2030-31. His contract includes a full no-trade clause, and he also has a say in where this goes next.
The timeline matters here, too. Larkin’s trade request became public in early June, when Steve Yzerman was still Detroit’s general manager. Yzerman stepped down in mid-July and is now a senior advisor, while Horcoff has handled hockey operations as interim GM since September.
Detroit also took a hard line with its captain situation in September, stripping Larkin of the captaincy and later suspending him without pay on Oct. 29 after he said he would not play while waiting for a trade.
Wild GM Bill Guerin has pushed back on the speculation around what he’s put on the table. On WCCO Radio’s The Chad Hartman Show, he said “nobody knows what I've offered, except Detroit,” per NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika.
According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Larkin has expanded his approved list to 10 teams, including Minnesota. Neither side has confirmed the reported details of the latest offer, and there’s still no sign that a deal is close.
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