The Minnesota Wild have intensified their pursuit of Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin as the situation between the player and his longtime club reaches a breaking point.
Larkin, who requested a trade earlier in the year and expanded his approved list of destinations to ten teams, informed the organization that he would no longer suit up.
In response, interim general manager Shawn Horcoff suspended the 30-year-old without pay, effectively ending his time in a Red Wings uniform after a decade as the face of the franchise and former captain.
Throughout the process, the Wild have stood out for their aggressiveness.
Reporting from Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic indicates that Larkin and his representatives are well aware of Minnesota’s willingness to assemble a substantial package.
That package could center on a young center such as Danila Yurov or Charlie Stramel, a complementary forward like Ryan Hartman or Bobby Brink, and multiple first-round draft selections.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has previously suggested that if Detroit values Yurov, a deal with Minnesota remains realistic.
Yurov, selected 24th overall by the Wild in 2022, produced 12 goals and 27 points as a rookie last season and has already found the net four times this year while seeing increased ice time.
Stramel, taken 21st overall in 2023, is Minnesota’s top prospect and is in his first American Hockey League season with the Iowa Wild after four years of college hockey; the 6-foot-3, 216-pound center brings size and long-term upside.
Brink, listed at 5-foot-8, relies on creativity and hockey sense; he recorded 15 goals and 30 points in 58 games last season.
Adding multiple future first-rounders would give Detroit considerable draft capital, though other clubs on Larkin’s list are believed capable of constructing stronger offers built around more immediate NHL talent.
Teams outside the approved group, notably the Montreal Canadiens, possess the young assets to potentially outbid everyone if Larkin were willing to expand his list.
Other reporting, including from Pierre LeBrun, has framed Minnesota’s bids as heavy on futures and first-round picks—potentially as many as three in one iteration—while Detroit continues to prioritize ready-made roster players as it seeks to retool rather than rebuild.
The Wild, operating in a win-now window alongside star winger Kirill Kaprizov, have made multiple formal offers and remain the most persistent suitor.
With Larkin now sidelined and his daily paychecks accumulating losses, pressure is building on both sides.
Whether Minnesota’s blend of prospects and picks ultimately proves sufficient, or whether Detroit holds out for a different combination, will determine how quickly one of the league’s more prominent trade sagas is resolved.
