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SUNRISE, FLORIDA – MARCH 30: Aaron Ekblad #5 of the Florida Panthers checks Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Red Wings 3-2 in the shootout. (Photo by Bruce Bennett\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
It appears the Detroit Red Wings are finally making progress in hiring a new general manager. It\u2019s still relatively early in the process to replace Steve Yzerman, but the organization at least took baby steps forward<\/a> this week. Certainly, it will take some time for the new front office to get acclimated \u2014 time they don\u2019t really possess. When they\u2019ve finished whatever small adjustment period is required, the new management team must accept the reality they face regarding a Dylan Larkin trade return.<\/p>\n Larkin, the Wings captain, is everything you could hope for from a narrative perspective. He\u2019s a homegrown talent who lived up to the billing, a Michigan native, and an Olympic gold medal winner. For Larkin to reach a point where he\u2019s demanding a trade out of Detroit, things could potentially be worse internally than most realize.<\/p>\n New Management\u2019s First Order of Business on a Dylan Larkin Trade Return<\/p>\n When the new front office is officially in place<\/a>, the first thing they should do is see if Dylan Larkin has softened his stance on a trade at all. The hypothetical new Red Wings front office loses nothing by at least asking Larkin if he\u2019d be willing to rescind his trade request and lead the Detroit Red Wings into 2026-27. Larkin is a class of player where the only way to maximize his value to the team is for him to be on the team. That ship may already be halfway around the world, but it certainly doesn\u2019t hurt to ask.<\/p>\n If Larkin will not soften his trade request, then Detroit\u2019s new front office can certainly ask about expanding the trade list. Larkin gave Detroit a three-team trade list earlier this summer, which reportedly expanded to four to include the Dallas Stars. If Larkin has softened at all on this element of a trade, that\u2019s the next course of action. Any opportunity to create a bidding war will benefit the beleaguered Original Six franchise.<\/p>\n If All Else Fails, a Dylan Larkin Trade Return of Futures is Next<\/p>\n Steve Yzerman seemed to draw a line in the sand on this before his abrupt resignation. He had no interest in a strategic retreat after years of patient and careful planning. And, in many respects, that\u2019s a totally commendable position. No team should ever consider a strategic retreat, retool or rebuild as a first resort. Those should always be the last resort.<\/p>\n It would be deeply irresponsible for Detroit\u2019s new management to let this situation linger because of concerns about a futures-based package. Now, to be clear, that does not mean Detroit should set a red line on value and then take less than the value they want. Value, however, is fluid. A Dylan Larkin trade return that is focused on futures doesn\u2019t have to be inherently less valuable than one that includes the type of NHL player the Wings desire. That\u2019s particularly true when Larkin, who owns a full no-movement clause for the next two seasons, can dictate the destination.<\/p>\n The Atlantic Division Provides No Path for Detroit<\/p>\n Detroit has some good young players, but the organization\u2019s position is precarious. The Atlantic might be the deepest division in the NHL. No team is outright rebuilding. Boston is in a minor retool, but their playoff run on the spine of goaltender Jeremy Swayman enticed them to trade for talented winger JJ Peterka. There\u2019s clearly no strategic retreat in Boston. Meanwhile, Tampa, Florida, and Montreal are all clearly gunning for a division crown.<\/p>\n Sure, Buffalo will likely take a step back without winger Alex Tuch or defenseman Bowen Byram. But the Sabres have drafted exceptionally well, and there is clear internal belief<\/a> in their ability to replace those players.<\/p>\n Ottawa, without Brady Tkachuk, could take a step back. However, the Senators made lemonade with their lemons. No one will argue that replacing Tkachuk with William Eklund is a net loss. Still, Ottawa got the best possible deal they could get on Tkachuk. Despite his trade protection, the Senators used some of the futures-based assets returned from Florida to improve their roster immediately.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the path Detroit\u2019s new management should take on a Dylan Larkin return, even if it doesn\u2019t seem possible this season.<\/p>\n A Futures-based Dylan Larkin Trade Return Offers Hidden Upside<\/p>\n Punting on one year doesn\u2019t mean returning to the deep rebuild years early in Yzerman\u2019s tenure. If one of the teams on Larkin\u2019s list agrees to a futures-based trade that meets the value Detroit expects, then it being futures-based is irrelevant. The Wings\u2019 new management team should accept the offer. Simultaneously, they can punt on 2026-27 and regroup next summer loaded with cap space and assets.<\/p>\n And, with that in mind, it would give them a chance to see young centers Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson earn even greater responsibility in the organization. They were both top-10 picks in the Yzerman era. Admittedly, it\u2019s possible neither player ever lives up to their draft billing. Currently, Kasper is coming off a disastrous second season in the NHL. Meanwhile, Danielson has not dominated in the AHL as most would hope.<\/p>\n In this situation, the Wings\u2019 new front office would come away with a better idea of what they actually possess. Detroit committed to a healthy farm system under Yzerman. Yet, the Wings seem less willing to give many of those young players a chance.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time. Thanks to Dylan Larkin\u2019s trade request, the Red Wings can rip the band-aid off. Additionally, Detroit can rip off the band-aid and not be seen as the bad guys. To do it, the new front office must accept reality on a Dylan Larkin trade return.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAlex Wiederspiel<\/a> Alex Wiederspiel covers the NHL for for Heavy.com. He is a play-by-play broadcaster, host of Locked On Podcast Network’s NHL Game Night and former radio news anchor and digital news journalist in West Virginia. Avid lover of all dogs, but primarily the two monsters that live in his house. 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