The Minnesota Wild have been in the Dylan Larkin chase from the start, and for now they’re still in a strong spot.
Larkin’s trade list has settled at 10 teams - Florida, Minnesota, Vegas, Dallas, Washington, Carolina, Utah, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Colorado - and he has not agreed to widen it. No Canadian team is included.
Larkin is also no longer playing for Detroit, a move that led the Red Wings to suspend him without pay on Oct. 29.
Detroit interim general manager Shawn Horcoff made clear where the club stands on Oct. 30, saying that “with the teams that Dylan has on his list, it’s difficult to get something done,” and that an expanded list would make a deal easier.
The Red Wings tried again this week to push that conversation forward, but the answer didn’t change.
On Tuesday, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun (RDS, The Athletic) reported on the French-language network “Aux 4 coins de la LNH” that Larkin and his agent Pat Brisson have told the Wings they will not be adding to the list. LeBrun’s segment on the trade situation was translated from French below the video.
“Shawn Horcoff, the GM of the Red Wings, contacted Larkin’s agents, Pat Brisson and Matt Williams, in the last few days to say, ‘I’ve tried everything with the 10 teams on your list and I can’t find a trade that makes sense for us. Please, would it be possible to add other teams?’
Because there are other teams, according to my information six to eight teams, outside the list of 10 that the Red Wings have talked with and think they could make a better trade with…
…According to my information, the answer, once again in the last few days, was no from Pat Brisson to the Red Wings. ‘We’ve already given you 10 teams.
You’re capable of making a trade with those 10 teams.’ So right now, it’s a real poker game between the two sides.”
LeBrun also said Montreal, Boston and Buffalo are among the teams still interested in Larkin but not on his list, with Los Angeles mentioned as well. Unless Larkin changes course, none of them can get involved.
For Minnesota, that keeps the door open. LeBrun has previously said the Wild have made more trade offers for Larkin than any other team, though Detroit still hasn’t accepted one. Wild sources have called Detroit’s ask unrealistic.
The stakes are obvious from Detroit’s side, too. Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit through 2030-31, and he had two goals and four assists in 10 games before he stopped playing.
Minnesota, meanwhile, sits first in the Central Division at 11-3-3 after its victory Tuesday night. Horcoff has said he’s willing to wait for the right return, and Larkin’s camp appears just as dug in. For now, the Wild remain in the mix if Detroit ever decides to move.
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