Rumblings around the NHL are pointing toward a Dylan Larkin trade out of Detroit, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have surfaced as a dark-horse possibility.
The situation in Detroit has been hanging over Larkin since last season, and it has only grown messier. The Red Wings are now also in danger of losing Simon Edvinsson, a sign of the dysfunction surrounding the organization. Larkin has already returned to the Red Wings this season, but he still wants a change of scenery, and interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is actively moving pieces.
That was underscored earlier today when Detroit placed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker on waivers. Around the league, that move had some analysts wondering whether a bigger deal was about to follow.
For Toronto, the timing makes the idea at least worth a look. The Maple Leafs were not directly named as a destination for Larkin, but their situation has pushed them into the conversation. John Tavares is week-to-week, and that leaves a major hole at center on the second line.
Larkin would fit that need cleanly. The challenge is everything else.
He doesn’t want to play in Canada, though the Montreal Canadiens are reportedly making him reconsider that stance. Toronto could try to do the same, but it would be a tough sell for general manager John Chayka.
If the Leafs were to chase Larkin, the cost would be steep. Horcoff is not looking for futures; he wants NHL players who can help right away. That would likely force Toronto to consider moving prospects such as Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, and others, a price Chayka would probably prefer not to pay.
So for now, the idea of Larkin landing in Toronto lives in the dream category. Still, if Detroit lowers the asking price and Larkin softens on Canada, the Leafs would have a clear opening to make a move. They need a center, and there is at least a narrow path to getting something done.
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Ben Danford is among the internal names being considered as Toronto sorts through its options, though the club is also keeping trade possibilities in play if the current group does not look strong enough. For a team trying to steady a weakness that has drawn attention for a while, this is less about one absence than the bigger question of how much help needs to come from outside. The Leafs have a decision to make, and it does not feel like one they can put off much longer. [Read more 🡒]