The first offer for Dylan Larkin has been offered according to Elliotte Friedman and for many, it comes as no surprise who is taking first dibs.
Dylan Larkin is likely headed out of Detroit at some point this season, but the question is when and where. He's a coveted target given he plays a premium position and has five straight 30-goal seasons. Elliotte Friedman is reporting one of those teams may have already placed a bid, and it's one fans are going to groan about for sure.
Larkin's interested in only a handful of teams which include Vegas, Minnesota and Florida, but reportedly Dallas, Tampa and San Jose are in the mix. That really narrows things down for both himself and the Red Wings and with full trade protection, he clearly holds his fate in his hands.
Detroit can either deal him to a place he wants to go, or sit their captain and eat $8.7-million in salary and create a fractured environment.
Steve Yzerman needs to tread carefully, but if there really is as much friction as there reportedly is, then he likely wants to cut ties sooner than later.
Elliotte Friedman reports the first offer for Dylan Larkin has already been made by the Panthers
Luckily for him though, he's got a team that's interested and it just so happens to be one of Larkin's preferred targets.
Elliotte Friedman reported on The FAN Hockey Show that there were talks that an offer for Larkin has already been put in and the team in question is one that fans may roll their eyes at - the Florida Panthers:
I definitely think the action has started on Dylan Larkin, I think teams have contacted Yzerman, I believe Florida has made an offer.
The reason it would make some eyes roll is the fact that the Panthers just had a horrible season after being back to back Cup winners and now once they're healthy and at full strength, suddenly they can add an extremely good player into a team that already includes Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett.
It's hard to know what Florida would give up, though a package that involves the 9th overall pick is likely going to be the one that gets it done and they could also include an RFA like Mackie Samoskevich or signed forward Anton Lundell in order to get the money to work better.
Lundell makes $5-million but has no protection, so Larkin's deal is a little easier to swallow and Lundell is easier to move.
A Dylan Larkin trade to the Panthers makes them Cup contenders once again
There's lots to unpack with a potential Larkin to Florida trade, however the one thing that is assured is that they are going to become Cup favourites yet again. Facing Barkov was bad enough, but now you add Larkin in the mix and you have a 1C/2C who can shut down anyone anywhere on the ice.
They're also going to be healthy and Larkin is going to be extra motivated to finally be on a contender. Not only that, but he has a close friend in Tkachuk, so the transition over won't be too hard - and Florida is going to be more than happy to have him.
That makes the Atlantic one of the toughest divisions now in hockey, because while Detroit takes a step back, Florida leapfrogs them but still have to contend with Buffalo, Montreal, Tampa Bay, and potentially a revamped Maple Leafs team.
Adding Larkin makes that fight a lot easier and they are getting a surefire product on the ice. It's hard enough to get 30 goals in the NHL but to do it five years in a row shows a clear separation between Larkin and the rest of the league.
Maybe he's not a Top-10 player but he's fighting for Top-25 no doubt.
A Larkin trade would be a bonafide blockbuster and the Red Wings are looking to rid themselves of a disgruntled forward who just wants to win. Florida may be the beneficiary after all is said and done, and that's bad news for the Atlantic Division and the rest of the NHL.
Will Dylan Larkin be traded to the Panthers or somewhere else?
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