Breaking Down Dylan Larkin Trade Landing Spots Amid Latest NHL Rumors on Red Wings Star

Dylan Larkin kicked off his Detroit Red Wings career with two consecutive playoff trips, and while they were both first-round exits, the star center likely imagined there would be plenty more postseason hockey to come.

Fast forward to 2026 and the Red Wings are in the midst of a playoff drought that dates back nearly a decade, to the 2017 season, and frustration over the lack of meaningful, late-season hockey appears to be taking its toll.

The 29-year-old is expected to be one of the biggest trade targets this offseason, with The Fourth Period reporting, "Larkin's trade request surprised many, but frustration with the team's lack of success has boiled over. The Red Wings know which teams he will waive his NTC for, and talks are ongoing."

Larkin scored 34 goals, 33 assists, and enjoyed the second-highest shooting percentage of his career at 14.8 in 2025-26. The Red Wings captain is a versatile two-way player and an elite skater. He is the motor behind everything Detroit wants to do on the ice.

It is understandable, then, that he would be frustrated by the lack of on-ice success the franchise has enjoyed during his tenure. Still, despite his dismay over the current state of the team, that does not mean the Red Wings will rush to trade him.

The report noted, "Detroit GM Steve Yzerman won't rush into a move, but he knows he can't let things linger, either." 

Teams linked to Larkin include the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, and Dallas Stars.

The Wild provides, arguably, the best fit for Larkin in that he would join a team that already includes Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, making one of the most intriguing front lines in the game.

The Panthers and Knights, though, are win-now teams with rosters capable of competing for the Stanley Cup immediately. Adding Larkin to either would only enhance what are already championship-quality rosters and would provide him his surest shot of hoisting the most coveted prize in hockey.

San Jose is intriguing in that he would bring veteran leadership to a team of young, hungry, electric players, headlined by Macklin Celebrini. Their needs on defense, though, may prove to be too great to bring Larkin the high-profile, playoff hockey he seeks.

The Stars are intriguing and a consistent contender, but they always feel a step or two behind the tippy-top teams in the West, regardless of their regular-season record.

Regardless of where he ends up, Larkin is a game-changing center for any team. Having accomplished everything that he is going to in Detroit given the makeup of that team, it is time for him to move on and compete in the most meaningful games, for a title his talents are deserving of.