Red Wings Blockbuster Trade with the Ducks Could Trigger Domino Effect in Detroit

The Dylan Larkin trade speculation has completely reshaped the Detroit Red Wings’ offseason, and many are calling it a dark day in Detroit where GM Steve Yzerman will be forced to move his best player and, in some ways, start over. That may not be the case.

At first glance, having to move Larkin seems like a major downside. He’s the captain, the star of the team, and their best offensive weapon. However, there may be an opportunity here if Yzerman and the Red Wings play their cards right.

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The Salary Cap Part of The Larkin Trade

Removing Larkin’s $8.7 million hit from the books would push Detroit to roughly $37 million in available cap space with only a handful of roster spots to fill. Patrick Kane will return and it shouldn’t cost much to keep him. David Perron and James van Riemsdyk can stay or go, not making much of an impact on the overall roster. The same goes with Travis Hamonic.

That kind of flexibility gives Yzerman the ability to reshape the roster in a meaningful way.

The Red Wings already have a wave of young talent either in place or on the way. Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and Simon Edvinsson are foundational pieces. Marco Kasper and others are pushing for larger roles. What Detroit lacks isn’t necessarily a core — it’s balance and depth.

Instead of committing long-term dollars to a single player nearing 30, Detroit could go after Mason McTavish out of Anaheim. He’s $1.7 million cheaper, has a high ceiling, plays the same position and matches a better timeline for Detroit. Then, with the additional money, Yzerman could take a big swing. A serious run at Alex Tuch in free agency might be interesting.

Tuch checks several boxes the Red Wings need. He brings size, speed, and scoring touch, while also playing a direct, playoff-style game that Detroit has been missing. He can slot into a top-six role immediately and complement players like Alex DeBrincat and Raymond, while helping drive a more competitive, hard-to-play-against identity. Tuch is likely to cost around $10 million. That’s $8.7 million out in Larkin and $17 million in with Tuch and McTavish. It’s an $8.3 million swing, but it’s feasible for the Red Wings.

Moving Larkin wouldn’t be about replacing him one-for-one — it’s about turning one major asset into multiple impactful pieces. The key to remember is that McTavish wouldn’t be the only piece coming back in the Larkin trade. Yzerman can either dump another bad contract and get draft picks back in the deal, which he could then flip.

If Yzerman can land a legitimate top-line center like McTavish — who just needs a better opportunity than he had in Anaheim — the Red Wings could come out of this situation with a more balanced roster with two offensive scoring threats instead of one.

There Is a Hiccup in This Trade Theory

The one hiccup here might be the Ducks’ willingness to take on Larkin’s contract. Part of the reason Anaheim is thinking about moving McTavish is to clear the cap space needed to sign UFA defensemen, Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier. If that’s their priority, adding $1.7 million in salary from the Larkin trade doesn’t make financial sense.

And, the likelihood that Larkin is acquired to be flipped — outside of this being a three-team trade — isn’t high.

Still, if Yzerman plays this right, a Larkin trade — combined with aggressive spending in free agency — could be the pivot point that finally pushes Detroit out of its never-ending rebuild.

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