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Dylan Larkin wants out of Detroit. So, where do we think he's gonna go? News broke on Thursday that after 11 years in Detroit, six as their captain, Dylan Larkin has requested a trade. He's in his prime right now at 29 years old, he's had 67 or more points in each of the last five years. He's pretty comfortably a top 15 center in the league. I think guys like this don't become available all too often. Surely to mix it up this off seasonason and add a real shake to everything. We'll get into some mock trades. We each have prepared one mock trade each for three potential landing spots. But before we even get to that really quickly, I just want to ask, what do you think the reason is of why he wants to get out? I
know he's been there for 11 years. He hasn't been in the playoffs in 10. So he got there. I think that's exactly right. His first year, right? So 29 years old and he wants to win at this point. He got a taste of it at the Olympics how fun winning is. And yeah, I mean 10 years in a row, no playoffs. Hasn't played in the playoffs since he was 19-year-old rookie. I mean, I would probably want out at that point, too. I don't blame him. He's been there the whole Eiser plan and got him nothing. The crazy stat I saw this week is that he's played more games at the Olympics than he has in the Stanley Cup playoffs, which is ridiculous for a guy of Dylan Lens caliber, considering the
NHL had not been to the Olympics in forever. Um, I think that there's the two big things in terms of the why as well, because it's not just the playoff drought, right? some testy negotiations a couple years ago before he resigned in Detroit uh according to Emily Kaplan and then some of her other reporting this week as well is that he was just kind of fed up with the situation with management like you look think like the big one last year after the trade deadline kind of talked about how he was disappointed the team didn't make any moves out at the time. Yeah, they were in the mix one. That kind of situation and then they miss out in the final week or final days of the season.
Um, and then this year they finally make a move at the deadline and it's Justin Fog for an unprotected first round pick and they still miss collapsing after being like what, like an 80% plus playoff odds. It was an all joke job. Like [snorts] really rough stuff. So the combination of how they missed the playoffs, how we got here, a bunch of those factors. Like it's not that surprising. It's surprising in the fact that he's been there his whole career, but the fact that it's happening at all, like you can kind of figure out why. And this team, like, yes, there's maybe some young guys on the way, but this team is not close to winning a Stanley Cup either. So, I see why he wants to go chase a cup elsewhere.
Yeah, absolutely. So, we've got three mock trades, like I said, and full disclosure before we get into them. Dylan Larkin has a complete no trade clause. So, there's a very good chance he'll be picking where he wants to go or at least maybe a top five spot that he wants to be in. So, for all the teams out there who think that they've got a chance, you got to hope that he likes you as well. Uh let's get into the first one here with you Josh. So I've got him going to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Mason McTavish, Pavl Mikov, and a 2026 second round pick. So Anaheim fits that mold of oh young up and cominging team. Anaheim obviously beautiful weather. Why wouldn't he want to go there? So it makes sense from that aspect.
It also to me makes sense from the aspect of Steve Eerman and Pat Verbbeek have a long history together. They played together for two seasons and Verbique was essentially Eisermanman's right-hand man for the last 15 years or so before he was hired. Big trade last summer. Yeah, exactly. They've made trades already. So, I think from that aspect makes a ton of sense. And then McTavish is a guy I think we could see move this summer, but he's still only 23 years old, former number three pick. Like lots of still upside there, but Ducks probably want to move on. Mintov also hasn't quite lived up to being a top 10 pick, but still like a young D that I'm sure Detroit would be interested in. So, I think it works for both sides. I'm
curious to hear what you guys think, though. Is it too much? Maybe not enough. I don't know. I could hear arguments that it's both too much and too little. All depending on like your evaluation or how much you still feel about McTavish and Mikov. Like McTavish, like you mentioned, third overall pick not that long ago. Like you're not going to get that caliber of like upside in many other offers. had 50 point seasons, too. It's not like he's been a complete bust or anything like that. It just hasn't quite obviously hit those heights we But when you're in the bottom six getting scratched in the playoffs, that's when all of a sudden it becomes like the talking point that it has been. And he's got the $7 million price
tag. So, like it makes sense moneywise. It makes sense in terms of team fit. Actually really like the team fit. Like the idea of like the centers that the Duck would then be able to roll Carlson crazy. You could either keep Brandlin down the middle, you can shift him to the wing. you have so many options there. Like I really love the fit and like his speed and uptempo game with like those young guys like I would love that. Part of the question becomes both the package in terms of like what are you giving up for the player? How much do you have to give up because he has a no trade clause so he can kind of pick and then that might diminish the
value. And then the other side of it for at least Anaheim for me is are they best suited using those assets to acquire a forward versus a defender because the right side of the defense basically has zero players right now based off of the free agents that they have and all of that. And then you would be removing another defenseman from that mix. So I would be a little scared of that. But at the same time, you're not getting a player the caliber of Dylan Larkin signed for at the number he is for multiple years. And I think like yes that D is probably a bigger need but second line center is also a big need in my opinion. Like I don't think Michael Granland is your second line center to win a cup with or like Alex Korn like they've got a
very fun situation and the reason why I like them so much this year is they have all the youth but then they have the vets and Dylan Lurin's like the exact guy they need who kind of merges both of those two like firmly in the prime of his career. Still has like you know he's 29 he still has at least like probably three four like really good seasons left. He's the bridge between those two age groups, right? Like you have like the under23 group that were studs that were the drivers in the playoffs. And then you have like 34 plus guys and like Crider and like and those types. You have Trouba if you resign them. You have Gudas if you resign him. Like there's they're a weird team in terms of like that difference in the age
categories. But absolutely like I think they're one of the top teams to look at. And if the Red Wings have any say in terms of the package that they pick, I think that's probably the most intriguing one in terms of the upside long term in addition to helping the roster right now because again, this is a team that is still trying to make the playoffs and get over but then this obviously really shakes things up. But certainly if the Red Wings get to choose a package, I think one centered around Mason McTavish is by far the most intriguing one you could get here. My thinking with this trade too is the Red Wings can easily play hard ball if they were only getting like sort of minimal offers and so they're
probably going to wait for something decently good or they'll just hey you're under contract for us not like the my mind immediately went to like the Art Timmy Paneran situation. It's not the exact same as that because he's free and he's not exactly a pending free agent. So as much as like that trade return for Paneran was underwhelming just in terms of like Liam Greenree in the draft pick or whatever they had no choice. is not going to be quite that extreme. So, I think Anaheim's a really intriguing fit. Yeah. Worst case, he'll just be upset and playing hockey for them still. So, it's not the end of the world. Uh Dylan Larkin to the Ducks, our
first mock trade. Onto the next, Kyle. Where do you have him going? It's got to be the Minnesota Wild, right? Like, who over the past year? Which GM has shown the ability to go out and just do the damn thing in terms of making the trade, putting the offer on the table, not wasting any time, being like, "This is my best offer. This is what you're going to get from us. it's probably better than what you're going to get anywhere else. And specifically talking about the Quinn Hughes situation with that trade, of course. And then you look at the roster need and what Bill Garren has also said going into this off season in terms of like that's their biggest need. exactly what they need.
It is exactly what they need. Like Dylan Lin is a good first line center, elite second line center type. I think most of us agree on that. The Minnesota Wild don't have even like a 1C like question. Like it's it's Ericson E is like a lowend 1C if you want to make that. Clearly it can score a bit but yeah. Yeah. But clearly I think is that kind of guy that you can run with because you have the wingers that can drive play in addition to that. So if you're able to go out and get Dylan Lin like that again is the one like center addition that
would actually like move the needle because these guys don't become available very often. So for the Minnesota Wild, I think the package I've got here, Denila Yorov is like the clear like roster young player. That makes sense because there aren't a lot of those left in Minnesota after the Quinn Hughes trade as well. I have Jonas Broaddin actually going in this trade as well. And then a 2027 firstround pick. So Broaddin is kind of the weird one that might jump out to some people. I think they have the defensive depth to trade from that position. he doesn't have trade protection and it helps the money work a little bit especially if the Red Wings are still trying to be a team that is pushing trying to be better
next season. I think clearly defensive depth is an issue for them when you think about Edmonson Cider and a whole lot of nothing after that. Not a Ben Sherat fan. I am not. Um and I think Broaddin is still a really good defenseman when he's available and there's some question marks with that. But I think the crux of this trade is getting a young center in Denil Yorov who showed a lot of promise last year and then the 2027 first round pick. This package for me is one that is rooted a little bit in the Dylan Larkin gets to choose yes no trade situation where I think if this was a Quint youth situation where he doesn't
have the trade protection very different trade package because you got to pony up and kind of win that bidding war. I think the Wild is the intriguing one where that might just be the team where Larkin is like, I'm going there. Trade me there. Get what you can out of it. I don't really care. Yeah. And I'm sure it's a place he would want to go to given want a gold medal with Hughes and Baldi and Bill Garen. Obviously, probably a decent relationship there. So, I like the trade. I'm a little worried about lack of like upside in it. Like I Oh, I would be too. I like your a lot, but like if I'm a Red Wings fan and this is what ultimately came back for Larkin, I'd be
a little disappointed. But I thought of have a lot of Eurovv types in the system. But Broaddin also like guy's been hurt a ton. I love his game. Like he's so he's been so underrated for so long, so great defensively. But I worry that injuries are going to start taking this toll in the certain worried about this trade if I'm a Red Wing side. Um but again, it comes back to like the Wild also don't have a ton of assets left. Like they've got some first round picks passed this year. They've got Denil Yurov on the roster. But outside of that, you're talking about like Charlie Strael or Hunter Hate and like guys like that and it's just not a lot of options
to trade from the roster. So, I'm really curious to see what a trade would look like with this. This is one that kind of came to mind where I could see Detroit being like, okay, at least we're maybe getting better in an area next season, but certainly like the Wild are the team that are the best fit on paper in terms of Larkin being on the roster. I just don't know what a actual trade package quite looks like. I could see Billy G getting real aggressive if it came down to a bit of a bidding war. Like throwing in other first round picks, start throwing in like How many first round picks would you be willing to do if you're Billy G?
Probably two for sure. Wouldn't go to three. Well, if it's three straight up, sure. But if it's also like Grov and Broaddin and all these pieces that have Billy G going out and getting another guy that was on that team, what they'd have four now, too, with Faber, Baldi, Favor, too. this I like this trade from like I you're saying that the Red Wings package looks a little bit the stuff coming back as great but I like it from the realistic approach where if Dylan Larkin goes to the front office and he's like I'm only going to Minnesota just to let you guys know like I don't want if that's really where he wants to go this is probably what they'll have to work with [snorts] when they don't have like
an a whole bunch of you know assortment of different trades to sort through. So yeah, I think it makes a lot of sense on both sides. He's also what he's from Michigan, right? He's not going to need to go down get some warm weather, whatever. He'll he's fine. I mean, maybe he wants that. Go a little bit more north and play. Does he like fishing and hunting? That's the question. Um Yeah. Okay. So, Dylan Larkin, Minnesota. Our second trade. I've got the last one here. And this one, this one's a pretty simple in my books. Dylan Larkin to the Devils for Nico Heir.
Okay. The trade is one for one. Straight up one for one. You got two teams in similar spots here. Yeah. Um where you know they're not having a ton of success and they've got very similar players. Like if you go through like center rankings, these guys are back to back. So really it's to me just a change of scenery in both instances. In the Detroit instance, you get a guy who's a little bit closer to the age of your young core in like Cider and Raymond where heir is I think two and a half three years younger than Larkin is. On the devil side of things, you get a guy who just played on a line with Jack Hughes in the Olympics. He was out there on the ice for that threeon-ree
goal. Some familiarity there. Also a guy who you can plug him in either at like a second line center spot or Dylan Larkin has the ability to play the wing a little bit more than Yeah. than he sure does. So what I really liked is uh the idea of he plays the wing with that Hughes line, maybe Hughes and Brat, but Jack Hughes 35% career guy in the dot. Not very good. Dylan Lark in 53. So have him take draws and move to the wing. Jackie's got to eat his waties, man. Yeah, too. Well, I was reading some like ideas about this and it's like this is perfect for when he was inevitably takes 20 games off every year that he does. You got a guy to plug in. But people forget too, the Devils
just hired a brand new GM in Sunny Meta. Yeah, Sunny Meta. Guy probably wants to come in here and make a splash. What bigger splash than doing a captain swap? So, on paper, I think it checks out. I don't know if the Devils would do it just given the fact that they're getting rid of a guy who's very similar who's already in the system and their captain. He's a couple years younger, but like they need a shakeup just as bad as the Red Wings do. So, I think it makes a lot of sense. I tried to explore some other potential packages. So, let me know what you think of like No, no, no. We got to stick with this one for a second. Like, I think the most intriguing part of it Yeah. and the reason why it kind of makes a
lot of sense cost control Dylan Larkin. Yeah. Almost free agent Nikico Heir. Yeah, I think like it all would come down to is Detroit getting a even a verbal commitment from Hishir like I'll extend or is this like simply taking a pending UFA? Cuz if it's if Hishir says uh like I don't know if I want to extend like I don't think Detroit is making this deal but if they get some kind of oh like I'm open to it then maybe yeah cuz a bit younger too better defensively. I think the combination that would have to happen here for this to become like a legitimate scenario is he's sure she hesitant on resigning in New Jersey.
Yes. And then give some kind of I would resign in Detroit if XYZ if they pay him Dr. Evil money basically. I think that's which is an intriguing scenario if you're Detroit. Like if you're Detroit in all of these scenarios you're not getting a player of Nikicoish's quality anywhere else. No. But and for the Devils fans, as much as you like Heir, I'm sure you would like either of these players more than none of them, which could be the case if you want. What's heir making on his next contract? Like 10 plus, I would think, unless he's taking a bargain. Yeah. So, and Larkin's at 8.7. So, would you rather Larkin at 8.7 or Heir at say like 10 and a half or something?
I mean, like you can be as much in the door. Yeah. As much as you can be tied to Hishir, too. It's not like he's really given them any success. I know he's a very good player, but we've seen this script get run out a couple times now for the Devils. It's not moving the needle very much. So, I like the shakeup. I think it's still a pretty lateral move if you break it down to just player for player, but I think them in different landscapes could thrive in both scenarios. The other package I was thinking about, I don't know if I actually I didn't feel as good about it. good sales pitch, right? That's why I didn't bring it up first, but it was Dawson Mercer and maybe Simone Neich.
Okay. And the 12th overall pick in this year's draft. Okay. So, I don't know if it'd be both of those players, but the pick in this draft for sure. One of those two for sure. Maybe you spice it up with some other picks. I like the idea of Neich being like settling in as the second pair right shot D behind Cider who's taking all those like heavy minutes and then Neich can be a bit more and really thrive. I like that. I don't know potentially. I think the landing spot in New Jersey just makes a ton of sense too. Like I said, they played together. It feels like Dylan Larkin given he can choose where he wants to go is going
to end up with an American teammate like one of these good ones. He's going to force his That is the one thing I think about with New Jersey is like, is that high enough on the contender tier? Yes, that's the problem. Yeah, that's the problem. I think Yeah, I think it'll be really interesting. I'm excited to see what happens. I'm excited to see if Detroit honors this trade request or not. Uh but like we said at the start, you know, not often you get a top 15 center just available to play around with. So, I think there's definitely a lot of teams who will shakes up the offse shakes up the offseason a lot. A lot of teams will definitely be throwing their hat in
the ring for this one. Should be very interesting to see how everything goes. Let us know in the comments if you agree with these mock trades, if you think Dylan Lurin is going elsewhere, and we'll catch you guys in the next video. Thanks for watching. If you like this video and want to see more content like it, hit the sub button and ring that notification bell. And for unique byite-size content, make sure to follow us on all our socials.
