One of the things the Ottawa Senators need to be careful with this offseason is overpaying for a free agent or trade target.
That could be the case of Dylan Larkin.
While there’s no question that Senators fans would love to see the division rival join the club, doing so may not be quite so simple.
But then again, the Sens could become a dark horse candidate for the disgruntled forward.
On the surface, adding Larkin makes sense for the Senators. And even if Ottawa wasn’t on Larkin’s initial list of preferred destinations, the team could emerge as a potential suitor for the 29-year-old.
As Julian MacKenzie noted in The Athletic, the Senators could be an attractive destination for Larkin, given their playoff contender status.
“After all, the Sens are trying to solidify their playoff status in hopes of being a veritable contender. Their biggest holdup is having the necessary assets to acquire him.”
MacKenzie’s word of caution could be the biggest holdup. Even if the Senators could compel Larkin to come to the Nation’s Capital, would Ottawa have the pieces to make a deal work?
While that’s a discussion for another day, there’s no question that Ottawa could use Larkin in the lineup.
But there’s another question to keep in mind.
Red Wings might be reluctant to do business with Senators
The Red Wings might ultimately be reluctant to do business with the Senators. The Sens are a division rival. So, benefiting a rival might not be something that Detroit would be willing to do.
Of course, if the price is right and Larkin is willing to go to Ottawa, well, the Red Wings could be remiss if they didn’t look into the possibility.
Assuming everything lines up, the final hurdle to clear would be convincing Larkin to come to Canada. That might be a bit of a hard sell, as Larkin’s reported preferred destinations are all contenders and offer various advantages.
For instance, the allure of Vegas is hard to pass up, while the tax advantages in Florida are palpable.
Those situations notwithstanding, do not take away from the fact that the Senators are far beyond the Red Wings' rebuild. Ottawa began its rebuild after the Red Wings and has clearly surpassed Detroit.
So, there is a case to compel Larkin to come to Canada. Whether that actually plays out is another story. But if there’s a team that could be a dark horse to swoop in and snag Larkin, it’s the Senators.
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