Did Dylan Larkin Botch His Trade Request from the Red Wings?

Dylan Larkin‘s trade request has generated plenty of speculation, but a closer look at the situation suggests the Detroit Red Wings captain may have boxed himself in with the terms of his own list. Larkin is still with the Red Wings, despite asking out months ago. He seems to have seriously miscalculated how easy it would be to move him, and that could force him to rethink things.

What’s gone sideways, and where did Larkin go wrong?

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As several insider reports confirm, Larkin limited his approved trade destinations to just three teams: Vegas, Minnesota, and Florida. That was his first problem. That decision significantly narrows Detroit’s options, as salary-cap constraints mean there’s not much they can do. All three clubs face their own cap issues: Vegas is over $8 million above the ceiling, Florida has only $34K, and Minnesota is still trying to figure out how to fit Quinn Hughes onto its books with limited space.

Two of those teams also made big moves whose fallout hurt their ability to chase another big fish. In Florida, it was Brady Tkachuk. In Minnesota, it was Quinn Hughes. That means none of these teams would trade for Larkin without sending contracts and big money back to Detroit, and the Red Wings weren’t about to take scrap pieces and another team’s problems on while moving their top scorer.

Did Larkin Miscalculate His Odds of Being Traded?

Larkin then talked himself into the idea that the Red Wings were the enemy. It’s unclear where he got that idea. Some wonder whether Larkin’s trade request stems from his time with Team USA at the Olympics, where he played alongside players from the three teams he wants to join. He could have had players tell him to request a trade to play with them, and Larkin bit, trying to get on a team with a friend.

That was another mistake, given that those players were also selfishly worried about their own futures. Larkin believes he can’t win in Detroit. He’s tired of waiting. Yet, the main reason the team has struggled is now gone. Steve Yzerman is no longer running the show.

Larkin could have pivoted when Yzerman was removed. He didn’t, which has created another issue. Detroit doesn’t have a general manager in place, which has only complicated things. Yzerman’s departure is a reason to rethink things. Instead, Larkin is sticking with the feeling that the Red Wings are the problem and that the ship on repairing the relationship has sailed. Unfortunately, no one is there to pull the trigger on a deal.

Larkin may simply be stuck in Detroit for now — and possibly for the next two years, at which point his no-trade protection could expand and give a new GM more flexibility to work with.

Larkin is a good player. Perhaps he’s just not as good as he thinks he is. The three teams he’s chosen aren’t moving heaven and earth to acquire him, and the one team that might give up a lot (Minnesota) is stuck dealing with their own contract mess with Hughes.

Unless he expands his list, a trade may not materialize before the season, putting him in the awkward position of having to return to a team he’s tried to leave, and for a fan base that knows he wants out. Players have done it before. Can Larkin?

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canadiens, Canucks & Maple Leafs Concern