
A new report sheds light on what it could take to land one of the NHL’s biggest trade targets.
The Minnesota Wild continue to be viewed as one of the most serious contenders in the Dylan Larkin sweepstakes, and now NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has offered some insight into what a potential trade package could look like.
Speaking on Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman suggested there may already be a framework that makes sense for both sides.
“There’s a deal there,” Friedman said. “It’s like Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel, who knows what else. It makes too much sense.”
Those comments immediately caught the attention of fans around the league, as both Yurov and Stramel are among Minnesota’s most intriguing young assets.
Yurov, in particular, is viewed as a potential impact player with top-six upside, while Stramel remains one of the organization’s most closely watched prospects. Adding either player to a package would represent a significant commitment from Wild general manager Bill Guerin.
The reason Minnesota keeps coming up in connection with Larkin is simple: the fit is obvious.
The Wild have been aggressively searching for a true No. 1 center, and Larkin would instantly fill that void. At 29 years old, he remains one of the NHL’s most complete two-way forwards and is capable of playing in every situation.
Larkin’s surprising trade request sent shockwaves through the league earlier this offseason. The Red Wings captain reportedly grew frustrated with Detroit’s inability to end its franchise-record 10-year playoff drought, while reports have also pointed to a strained relationship between Larkin and general manager Steve Yzerman.
With five years remaining on his contract and a full no-trade clause, Larkin will ultimately have significant control over where he ends up.
That said, if Friedman’s assessment is accurate, the Wild may already possess exactly the type of assets Detroit would be looking for.
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Christine has been a lifelong hockey fan ever since she fell for Mario Lemieux’ slick moves and Jaromir Jagr’s mullet. A professional writer, she joined Attraction Media in 2017. Since then, she has good reasons to watch all hockey games and can humiliate several men who can’t handle that a woman knows more about hockey than they ever will.
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