The Philadelphia Flyers have been linked to a few centers in trade rumors in recent weeks, and another center is reportedly demanding a trade from his team.
Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday afternoon that Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin has requested a trade.
“There’s a lot to unpack here. First, should mention that no one would comment. Not Larkin, not agent Pat Brisson, not Red Wings Executive Vice-President & GM Steve Yzerman.
“Second, Larkin’s involvement in the trade market is massive. He has a full no-trade clause both this season and next, so his control over the situation does not change July 1. He’s a top-line centre in a league desperate for centres, so there’s going to be a ton of interest. His play at the 4 Nations and Olympics was stellar. That’s going to excite potential trade partners.”
Larkin did, in fact, play for Team USA at both the 4 Nations Tournament and won a gold medal (Canada lost) at the Olympics.
The centerman scored a goal and added an assist in four games at the 4 Nations and put up three points (two goals, one assist) in six Olympic games.
He also certainly doesn’t have the best relationship with general manager Steve Yzerman.
In his exit interview this year, Larkin didn’t mince words about Detroit’s disappointing deadline.
“We didn’t gain any momentum from the trade deadline, and guys were kinda down about it,” he said. “So it’d be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and a morale boost as well.”
Yzerman answered back that he was “counting on our best players, our leaders, to give us a bit of a morale boost.”
Detroit was a team that could’ve landed a big fish like Quinn Hughes or Artemi Panarin last season, but the Wings ended up trading a first-round pick for Justin Faulk, only to miss out on the playoffs anyway.
If Larkin is truly available, Danny Briere has to do everything he can to bring him to the Flyers.
Dylan Larkin is the perfect fit for the Flyers
Larkin will be 30 years old when next season begins, but he’s still a highly productive player. He put up 67 points (34 goals, 33 assists) in 74 games this past season, and has averaged 77.4 points per 82 games over the last five years.
The center is under contract through 2031, when he’d be 34 years old, at a cap hit of $8.7 million. That’s a salary that will only look better as the cap rises in the coming years.
While Larkin isn’t an elite, Hart Trophy-caliber center, he’s still a top-line center in this league. He could very well be the answer the Flyers are looking for atop their lineup, especially given the strength they have on the wings to play with a lower-tier first-line center like Larkin.
The price would be the big question, and we’ll certainly get to that in further articles on Broad Street Hockey, but the Flyers have positioned themselves well to make a move for a player like Larkin.
What could Red Wings want from Flyers for Larkin?
The Red Wings have shown interest in Rasmus Ristolainen in the past, so perhaps he could be a part of the package.
Anthony Di Marco reported before the trade deadline that Detroit has kicked tires on Ristolainen. However, the Red Wings didn’t want to give up any of their top prospects, so that took them out of the sweepstakes for the big defenseman.
But now with someone like Larkin on the table, a hockey trade involving Ristolainen could make a lot of sense for both sides.
If the Red Wings are trading their top-line center, they’ll probably want a pivot back to hold down the fort down the middle.
A guy like Noah Cates and his $4M cap hit could be enticing to the Red Wings, given the fact that they’re still in win-now mode. Jett Luchanko could be a fit as another speedy center to replace Larkin, although the 2024 14th overall pick’s stock has dropped in recent years.
And, of course, any time a center becomes available, the player that the Flyers may have to give up in a deal is Owen Tippett. The Flyers should only trade Tippett if they get a great return, and, well, Larkin could very well fit that bill.
While Tippett puts up highlight-reel plays and is one of the team’s best goal scorers, he could become the odd-man out, especially for a top-line center like Larkin.
It also helps that the Red Wings traded their first-round pick this year. The Flyers have their own in the next two drafts, as well as the Maple Leafs’ first-round pick in 2027. Briere should be willing to part with any of those for a guy like Larkin.
We’ll see what else comes out about Larkin and what the Red Wings are potentially looking for in a package, but for now, it’s safe to say that Briere needs to be on the phone with Steve Yzerman to see if they can make a deal.
