Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin might be having the most awkward offseason of anyone in the NHL.
The 29-year-old requested a trade out of Detroit, and Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman sounded like a guy who wasn’t going to be bullied into making a move just because the player wants it.
Yzerman is also hamstrung by the fact that, according to MLive, Larkin is currently willing to waive his no‑trade clause for only four teams: the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, or Florida Panthers.
Because Larkin’s extension includes a full no‑trade clause, Detroit can’t deal him without his consent, which effectively gives him control over where he’s willing to be traded. Even with five years remaining at an $8.7 million cap hit, Yzerman can only explore options on the list of teams the player agrees to waive for.
While Larkin and Yzerman have the world’s most uncomfortable staring contest, it gives us the opportunity to rank which of the four teams he’d accept going to would be the best fit for him. If it’s going to be the Wild, Golden Knights, Panthers, or Stars, we’ve got the answers.
