Red Wings: 6 Potential Trade Destinations for Dylan Larkin

On Thursday, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, sending shockwaves through Hockeytown and the NHL community.

A Michigan native, Larkin has served as Detroit’s captain since 2021. He ranks 10th in franchise history with 643 points through the first 808 games of his career. Yet, since entering the league in 2015, he’s only reached the postseason once – his rookie year.

Given Detroit’s decade of futility, maybe it’s not such a surprise that Larkin prefers to play somewhere else. It’s a big blow for the Red Wings, no doubt. 

It’s worth noting that Larkin has a no-movement clause, and can effectively choose his preferred destinations, potentially limiting Steve Yzerman’s options. 

With that being said, here are six trade partners that make sense for both parties.

Los Angeles Kings

The first and obvious team are the Los Angeles Kings, who just lost Anze Kopitar to retirement and are run by former Red Wings general manager Ken Holland – the same GM who originally drafted Larkin.

Los Angeles needs a 1C and can pitch a prime location as a selling point. In theory, Larkin would center a line with Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe, which should appeal to the pivot as well.

In return, Detroit could ask for Quinton Byfield, Alex Laferriere, Los Angeles’ first-round pick, and another asset or two. Adding Byfield would soften the blow and give the Red Wings someone who could potentially become a 1C later on.

Minnesota Wild

Another team looking for a 1C is the Minnesota Wild, who added Larkin’s Team USA teammate Quinn Hughes this past season and are run by Team USA GM Bill Guerin. Skating alongside Kirill Kaprizov would be a huge selling point, along with Minnesota’s bright future with Hughes, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber, and Jasper Wallstedt.

The potential return is a little less clear. Minnesota dealt their first-round pick—plus Marco Rossi and Liam Ohgren—for Hughes. Looking to the future, the Wild would be a strong team with Larkin onboard, making their firsts in 2027 and beyond less appealing, as they’ll likely be toward the end of the round.

Seattle Kraken

While this would be a lateral move for Larkin in terms of team talent, the Seattle Kraken have the assets to make a big splash. Surely, Jason Botterill will be reaching out to Yzerman now that he’s out from under Ron Francis’ shadow, especially after making a major play for Panarin earlier this year.

The Kraken have the seventh-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a slew of young players and prospects who could be dealt. Shane Wright, Matty Beniers, Berkly Catton, and Jake O’Brien could be of interest to Detroit. The package would likely need to include Seattle’s first and at least one of these players for it to make sense for the Red Wings – and that’s if Larkin would even accept a trade to Seattle.

San Jose Sharks

A team on the rise like the San Jose Sharks could be an intriguing trade partner for the Red Wings. Larkin would be able to play alongside Macklin Celebrini, the NHL’s next superstar, and a plethora of young talent assembled by GM Mike Grier.

San Jose has the second-overall pick in this year’s draft – might they be willing to part with it for Larkin? Or perhaps last year’s second-overall selection Michael Misa? Between those two assets, Will Smith, and William Eklund, the Sharks certainly have the trade chips to make a deal.

Utah Mammoth

Like the Kraken, the Utah Mammoth are a team that looks for blockbusters and has the assets to pull one off. Don’t forget, they had strong interest in Mitch Marner before he was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights

In return, Utah could potentially send J.J. Peterka and one of their top prospects—Tij Iginla, Caleb Desnoyers, or Cole Beaudoin—plus additional assets to achieve a mutually beneficial trade. Larkin would then get the chance to play on a high-powered offense alongside Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther. 

Florida Panthers

You can’t really call the Florida Panthers a dark horse because, well, nothing is out of the realm of possibilities in Sunrise. Can you imagine a one-two punch of Aleksander Barkov and Larkin down the middle?

The Panthers have the ninth-overall pick in this year’s draft after a down season without Barkov. They also have Anton Lundell, who could become a 1C in Detroit. Eetu Luostarinen and Mackie Samoskevich would be nice trade chips as well.

Final Word

If I were in Yzerman’s shoes, I’d give teams until the draft to negotiate their best offers. And if nothing satisfactory is proposed, I’d hold out and point to Larkin’s contract that he’s required to fulfill, whether he’s happy or not.

This year’s draft really is the deadline to get something done. The organization has other priorities after all and cannot be in limbo while a Larkin trade is worked out.

Regardless of the outcome, this is a major disappointment for a fanbase that has seen their fair share of disappointments over the last decade. There’s plenty of blame to go around. The most important thing right now, though, is to find a solution that improves the Red Wings – either now or later. The organization cannot afford to fumble their next move.