Larkin Expands Trade List By One, Red Wings Long-Shot Ask Quickly Shot Down

Dylan Larkin has expanded the list of teams he’d accept a trade to, adding the Dallas Stars alongside his original three: Florida, Minnesota, and Vegas, according to MLive’s Ansar Khan.

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It’s a modest change, and it likely doesn’t move Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman much closer to actually completing a deal. The Stars were rumored to be on Larkin’s maybe list already. One would assume Yzerman had already tentatively explored that option.

Reports indicate Detroit’s opening ask in trade talks was Dallas forward Wyatt Johnston, a request that was quickly rejected. Khan writes, “The Red Wings had talks with the Stars, and according to a league source, asked for young center Wyatt Johnston in return. It doesn’t hurt to ask, but there was no chance of that happening.” Johnston is coming off a 45-goal, 86-point season. He’s only 23 years old and just scratching the surface of what he’ll become. He’s also locked into a long-term deal at $8.4 million per season, $300K less than Larkin’s AAV.

The connection between the two teams runs deeper than it first appears.

Johnston himself was drafted by Dallas using a pick originally acquired from Detroit — the return the Red Wings sent to move up in a prior draft to select goaltender Sebastian Cossa. In other words, Detroit is throwing out a Hail Mary shot, trying to get back a player they could have drafted in the first place.

For now, Larkin’s list remains short, and the market for him remains limited. Whether Dallas’s addition to the list leads to real traction or simply gives both sides another team to talk to without much urgency remains to be seen. Maybe Jason Robertson works his way into this conversation, but that doesn’t seem likely either.

Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Penguins, Canucks, Oilers & Jets Won’t Move Hellebuyck