The sweepstakes for Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin are officially underway, and the initial list of preferred destinations has left the Ottawa Senators on the outside looking in.
Following reports from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman that Larkin has requested a trade out of Detroit after a tenth consecutive missed postseason, the market has moved fast. According to a follow-up report from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, the 29-year-old center has used his full no-movement clause to hand general manager Steve Yzerman a very brief, three-team list of acceptable trade destinations. Those teams are reported to be the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Minnesota Wild.
Senators not on Dylan Larkin's trade list
For the Senators, missing out on the initial list is a tough pill to swallow but a highly predictable outcome. General manager Steve Staios is aggressively hunting for an elite, impact piece to insert into his top-six forward group this summer, and a premier 200-foot center like Larkin would have fit the bill perfectly. However, insiders have noted that Larkin's primary motivation for leaving Detroit is to skip a transition phase and join an established, perennial Stanley Cup contender right away.
While Ottawa made massive strides last season and proved they can compete by playing meaningful spring hockey, they simply do not fit the profile of a proven NHL powerhouse just yet. Combined with the absolute rarity of blockbuster trades happening between bitter Atlantic Division rivals, the Senators were always facing an uphill battle to land the Michigan native.
With Larkin focused on securing a move to a handful of Western Conference giants and the defending champions, Staios will have to shift his focus back to his original trade targets. The Senators remain highly connected to names like Mason McTavish, Jordan Kyrou, and Mathew Barzal as they look to finalize a blockbuster deal of their own.
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