Detroit Red Wings

Dylan Larkin Likely First Big 2022-23 Pre-NHL Deadline Trade

One insider predicts Dylan Larkin will be moved before the deadline and it could go down before the name everyone is watching in Patrick Kane.

by
NHL Trade Talk
October 5, 2022

According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings might be the NHL’s first big pre-NHL Trade Deadline deal during the 2022-23 season. Even though most eyes are on a couple of other big names, the Red Wings might be looking to make the league’s first big splash and moving Larkin would certainly qualify.

Seravalli predicts, “With all eyes on Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will be traded before the March 3 trade deadline. Larkin is quietly entering the final year of his deal and is a pending UFA. He holds a no-trade clause, but that could be a big change for a Michigan kid who has played almost exclusively in the Detroit area his entire life.”

Now, perhaps it’s not fair to argue that Seravalli says Larkin will be the “first” big trade, but if you look at the names that could be moved and you consider that Kane might move after Larkin, it’s fair to suggest this would be the biggest deal of the year and the first real deal that could set the market for any deals that follow. Other big names include David Pastrnak and James van Riemsdyk, and Ryan O’Reilly. With Pastrnak, GMs will be watching that situation unfold and if the Boston Bruins can’t figure out an extension before the end of the season, he could go. But, because it’s likely those two sides do come together, and because Seravalli predicts that Kane will be hesitant to leave the Blackhawks if the team has a shot at Connor Bedard, Larkin makes a lot of sense to go first.

Larkin is the one player on a likely non-playoff team that other teams will covet. He’s potentially among the best bets to move before the deadline and there will be no shortage of teams looking to take a shot at someone will his skill at the cost of a pro-rated $6.1 million with some salary retained. He’s just 26 years old and coming off of a season where he scored 69 points in 71 games. The ask will be high.