The Minnesota Wild have a tall task ahead of them this offseason. Yes, they need to extend star defenseman Quinn Hughes, but they need to find a No. 1 center to improve their chances of winning a Stanley Cup next season. The quality of centers that are realistically available this offseason aren't the greatest, with Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers standing out as the best option.
But now, another member of the Team USA squad that won the gold medal in this year's Winter Olympics has let it be known he wants a change of scenery.
Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade from the team. And just like that, a top line center that Guerin is familiar with just became a viable option for the Wild to acquire this offseason.
Dylan Larkin just hit the market as potential top line center target for Wild
As for what caused Larkin to decide he wants to end his tenure in Detroit, Friedman guesses that it has to do with the team's struggles to make the playoffs and a "somewhat frosty relationship" with general manager Steve Yzerman.
"Because no one will talk, we can only guess at the rationale, but there appear to be two critical factors: Detroit’s inability to make the playoffs, and a somewhat frosty relationship between the captain and the team’s top hockey executive," writes Friedman. "This is also another sign of how the league is changing. Players are getting bolder with these requests — especially in the aftermath of Matthew Tkachuk’s and Quinn Hughes’ power moves into different situations."
Seriously, Guerin needs to be spamming Yzerman's phone to try and see what it would take to get a deal done as soon as possible. It really is a perfect match for the Wild.
Guerin has let it be known that he's not afraid to trade away young talent and draft picks to try and build a Stanley Cup contender. He did that last December, as he acquired Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. Obviously, Hughes was teammates with Larkin in the Olympics, along with Matt Boldy and Brock Faber. But, Hughes has praised Larkin's mentorship over the years, as the two are friends and train with one another during the offseason.
During Team USA's run to a gold medal in Italy, Larkin scored two goals and one assist in six games. One of those goals arrived in a 6-2 win over Slovakia in the semifinals, helping Team USA clinch their spot in the gold medal game.
A chance at a reunion with his Olympic teammates would be too good for both Larkin and the Wild to pass up on. Larkin only made it to the playoffs once in his career, back in 2016, where the Red Wings lost in five games to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Since then, Larkin and the Red Wings never made it back to the playoffs. It's quite obvious that Larkin will be looking to land with a team that can make the playoffs and contend for a Stanley Cup.
It's important to note that Larkin's contract runs through the 2030-31 season, where he carries an annual salary of $8.7 million per year. Not to mention, he carries a full no-trade clause until 2028, where it then lessens to a 10 team no-trade list.
