Steve Yzerman’s sudden move out of the Red Wings’ top hockey job could have a ripple effect well beyond Detroit, and one possible outcome is a fresh opening for the Maple Leafs to get back into the Dylan Larkin conversation.
On Wednesday, Detroit shook up its front office in a major way, with Yzerman stepping away as Team President and General Manager to become an advisor to CEO Chris Ilitch. The shift leaves the organization searching for a new GM, president and leader of hockey operations, and it also changes the backdrop around Larkin’s future.
That matters because Larkin’s situation has been hanging there unresolved. The next general manager will inherit a player who would like to play elsewhere next year, and with Yzerman no longer in the chair, there’s a chance Detroit’s stance becomes more flexible. Larkin has reportedly preferred Minnesota, while also being open to other destinations such as Dallas, but the broader picture is clear: he’s not happy, and he wants a chance to keep winning somewhere that can actually promise it.
The Red Wings captain is coming off another big season, posting 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games while finishing at 52.9% on faceoffs, plus-3, and strong possession numbers. It was his fifth straight season with at least 30 goals, and he also won gold with Team USA in the Milano Cortina Olympics, which has seemingly fueled the trade chatter around him.
If his list of preferred landing spots expands, Toronto would make plenty of sense. Auston Matthews would be the obvious draw, and the Leafs could use a center like Larkin in a heartbeat. His two-way game fits what Toronto needs, especially as a possible answer to the Panthers and Lightning, and he’d step into a lineup far deeper than the one he’s leaving behind in Detroit.
The Leafs already have Matthews, Gavin McKenna, Matthew Knies, John Tavares and William Nylander in the mix, so Larkin would not be asked to carry everything on his own. Instead, he’d be joining a group with far more talent around him and a much clearer path to contention.
There’s also the leadership angle. Matthews has been vocal about wanting to see serious change, and while Toronto has worked hard to convince him to stay beyond 2028, the club still seems to be missing that one final piece.
Larkin would bring durability, reliability and a style that meshes with the captain’s game. He’d also add another captain to the room, along with a veteran voice who could help mentor Gavin McKenna and the rest of the group.
Some have painted Larkin as the bad guy for narrowing his options, but with his situation shaped by Detroit’s leadership change, he’s operating with control over his own future. The question now is whether Yzerman’s exit changes anything for him.
It might not change the fact that he wants out of Detroit, but it could change where he ends up. And Toronto is very much in the mix.
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