NHL rumors: The 3 ‘obvious potential fits’ for Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin, per Pierre LeBrun

The Detroit Red Wings were reportedly stunned to learn that star Dylan Larkin has requested a trade. Larkin has been one of the team’s key producers. In the 2025-26 season, the Red Wings center posted 67 points in 74 games.

Now that Larkin is reportedly looking to leave, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun sees three possible landing spots for him. One is a team that just lost in the Eastern Conference Final of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“There are all kinds of obvious potential fits for Larkin, led by the likes of the Los Angeles Kings (not only has Anze Kopitar retired, but Ken Holland drafted Larkin in Detroit), Minnesota Wild (GM’d by Larkin’s Team USA GM, Bill Guerin) and Montreal Canadiens (he’d be ideal for their hole at second-line center),” LeBrun wrote for The Athletic.

Montreal is the team that just lost the Eastern Conference Final. The Wild and Kings also made the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season out of the Western Conference.

The Athletic writer believes as many as 15 NHL teams could come calling. The Red Wings center brings offense; he scored 34 goals during the 2025-26 season.

Larkin has played in Detroit for 11 seasons. He was drafted by the team in 2014, and has played his entire NHL career there.

“Puts Detroit in a tough place,” one anonymous NHL GM said to LeBrun. “They don’t have to trade him. He signed the contract and got the full trade protection.”

LeBrun believes however that Detroit may be able to use this situation to their advantage moving forward.

“But again, as dire as this news had to be to receive for the Red Wings, I think they’ve got a GM with the kind of track record of dealing with this type of thing,” LeBrun wrote.

Red Wings fans wait anxiously to see what will happen moving forward.

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