Red Wings closing in on Dylan Larkin trade as Maple Leafs emerge as possible landing spot

Rumblings around the NHL suggest the Detroit Red Wings are about to trade Dylan Larkin, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are a dark horse landing spot.

The Dylan Larkin saga has been going on in Detroit since last season. Now, the team is also at risk of losing Simon Edvinsson, which just goes to show the dysfunction the franchise is dealing with.

While Larkin has returned to the Red Wings this season, he still wants a change of scenery, and interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is making moves.

Earlier today, the Red Wings even placed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker on waivers. This was a move that left some analysts feeling like a trade was on the horizon.

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The timing of this couldn't be more interesting for the Toronto Maple Leafs. While they have not explicitly been named as a landing spot for Larkin, they have certainly become an option due to unfortunate circumstances.

Larkin doesn't want to play in Canada. However, the Montreal Canadiens are reportedly making him reconsider. Perhaps Toronto can do the same, with John Tavares out on a week-to-week basis.

Without Tavares, there is a huge gaping hole down the middle on the second line. Larkin would be the perfect player to fill such a hole. Convincing him to come to Toronto would be a Herculean task, but for general manager John Chayka, it might be worth a shot.

What could the Maple Leafs offer in a Dylan Larkin trade?

Of course, Larkin to the Maple Leafs is mostly a fantasy at this point, considering what the Detroit Red Wings would want in return.

Horcoff doesn't want futures. He wants players who can make an impact right now. That means the Leafs would have to give up on guys like Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, and others. Not something that John Chayka would be thrilled to do.

If the price on Larkin ever comes down, and he changes his tune on Canada, then perhaps something can get done. The Leafs need a center, and while it's a dream at this point, there is a narrow path to getting something done.

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