Dylan Larkin Still Wants Out of Detroit, and the Red Wings' Asking Price Is Two A-Level Prospects, a Top-Nine Forward and a First

The Detroit Red Wings are holding firm on a steep price for Dylan Larkin. TSN's Darren Dreger reported Thursday that Detroit wants three or four pieces for its longtime center: two A-level prospects, a top-nine forward who can contribute in the NHL now, and a first-round pick. Dreger said he believes some teams would meet that price, but noted the complication: many of the interested clubs are not on the list of destinations Larkin will accept.

Larkin, 30, is still playing for Detroit while his trade request stands. The situation is one of the most unusual stories of the early NHL season, and it has real fantasy and betting implications for a Red Wings team already short at center with Marco Kasper on injured reserve.

How it got here

Larkin's trade request has hung over Detroit's season from the start. He missed the first two games of the season with an upper-body injury, and the club had earlier moved him to a non-roster injured reserve spot while it managed the request. The Red Wings also stripped him of the captaincy after what the team described as several in-depth discussions with leadership.

He made his season debut Oct. 6 against Ottawa and immediately scored, adding an assist and earning first-star honors. Some fans booed him during early shifts, and the same crowd cheered him later in the night. Larkin has said publicly that requesting a trade was not easy and that he does not regret it, while declining to discuss whether reconciliation is possible.

The no-trade problem

Larkin's contract carries a no-trade clause, which gives him control over his destination. He initially submitted a three-team list, reported to include the Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights, and has since expanded it. One report indicated Montreal was ready to move if Larkin agreed, but Larkin and his family repeatedly said no.

His contract also shapes the market. Larkin signed an eight-year extension that runs through 2031 at an $8.7 million cap hit. Contending teams with cap space for that number are rare, and the ones that can fit him may not have the prospect capital Detroit wants.

The Red Wings' center depth

Detroit's center situation was already stretched. Kasper was placed on injured reserve Oct. 6 with an upper-body injury and a week-to-week timetable, and as of mid-October he had played just one game and was still not practicing. Emmitt Finnie, a winger, moved to the middle when Kasper went down and has stayed there. Mason Appleton was also placed on injured reserve at the same time.

If Larkin is traded, the Red Wings would be left with a very thin center group until Kasper returns. A top-nine NHL forward in the return would help, but that player may not be a natural center. The short-term fantasy picture for Detroit's wingers would get worse, not better.

Fantasy fallout

As long as Larkin is in Detroit, he is a strong fantasy center. He has 643 career points (276 goals, 367 assists) in 808 games, 10th in franchise history, and he posted 34 goals and 33 assists in 74 games last season. His early-season work alongside Lucas Raymond and Viktor Arvidsson keeps his line among the most productive in Detroit.

A trade would likely help Larkin's fantasy value if he lands on a contender with a strong power play, though a move could also mean a reduced role on a deeper roster. The clearer fantasy impact is on his linemates. Raymond, in particular, has benefited from playing with Detroit's top center, and a trade without a replacement center would hurt him.

Finnie is the waiver-wire angle in deep leagues. His move to center gives him more ice time and faceoff opportunities, and if Larkin is traded, Finnie's role would grow further.

What the asking price says

Detroit's demand is aggressive by design. Two A-level prospects plus an NHL-ready top-nine forward and a first-round pick is the kind of package teams pay for a franchise center in his prime, and Larkin's production supports that framing. The Red Wings also have leverage in his contract, which runs for years at a fixed cap hit, so there is no deadline forcing a move.

The limiting factor is Larkin's list. A team must be both on it and willing to meet the price, and every club that falls short narrows the field. That is why the most likely near-term outcome is patience on both sides.

Betting angle

The Larkin situation adds volatility to Detroit's season-long markets. A trade would likely weaken the Red Wings now in exchange for future assets, which is a negative for over bettors on Detroit's point total and playoff odds. Conversely, if the stalemate drags on and Larkin keeps producing, Detroit's on-ice product stays largely intact.

For game-to-game betting, watch Kasper's return. A healthy Kasper restores a key piece of Detroit's center depth and would cushion the blow of any Larkin trade.

The Verdexed angle and what's next

The Red Wings host San Jose on Saturday, and the trade market will keep shifting as more teams evaluate their needs. Dreger's report suggests Detroit is in no hurry, which means the most likely near-term outcome is Larkin continuing to play while the club waits for a team on his list to meet the price.

For the model's view of Detroit's games, see /nhl/predictions and the day's NHL picks page at /blog/nhl-picks-2026-10-17. For fantasy managers, the instruction is simple: keep starting Larkin, hold Raymond, and keep an eye on Finnie in deep leagues until either Kasper returns or a trade lands.