Talk of Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s trade request has dominated the NHL news cycle over the past 24 hours. Just about every team likely figures they have a chance at landing the coveted forward.
But only a handful of teams could actually have the pieces to pull off such a trade. In the St. Louis Blues’ case, they have three interesting pieces to make the deal happen.
We already know that the Red Wings cover certain pieces on the Blues roster. That much was apparent at this season’s trade deadline.
There’s something, however, that must be cleared up before proceeding. The idea of a Robert Thomas-Dylan Larkin trade would only benefit the Red Wings. Detroit would effectively replace Larkin, while the Blues wouldn’t really be any better off.
The goal for St. Louis here is to get better, that is, add to their already solid roster, not subtract.
That’s where the Blues’ three first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft come into play. The Blues could easily package all three selections to Detroit, get Larkin, and call it a day. St. Louis could surrender its own pick, the 11th, the 15th, Detroit’s own, and the 29th pick, originally belonging to the Colorado Avalanche.
That’s not a bad haul. Three first-round picks. For the Blues, it’s what accruing draft capital is all about. The Blues can send three lottery tickets to the Red Wings for an established star.
By adding Larkin, the Blues would all of a sudden have one of the best one-two punches down the middle in the NHL. The idea of facing a line with Robert Thomas leading the way, and then another with Dylan Larkin taking charge, would be enough to give opposing coaches headaches all season long.
But a bigger question emerges: Is this trade actually realistic?
Why Red Wings would do well to send Larkin to St. Louis
On the whole, passing up three first-round picks in the same draft is not easy. Generally, teams are willing to surrender multiple picks for a star player, but the return plays out over several years.
Not in this case. The Red Wings would see an immediate return on their trade. And while Detroit would expect a regression in the standings next season, the idea of adding even more talented prospects to their pipeline is something that could offset the sting of losing Larkin.
In fact, getting the 11th and 15th picks allows the Red Wings to find a potential replacement for Larkin. After all, the Red Wings landed Larkin precisely at #15 in the 2014 NHL Draft.
It would really sting to see Larkin walk away for three draft picks, for the Red Wings. The picks, if lucky, could turn into something in two to three years.
But then again, it would be much worse to lose Larkin for nothing. Worse yet, the idea of having Larkin sit out amid a dispute would be catastrophic.
There’s always the consideration of Larkin waiving his no-trade clause to join the Blues. That’s a conversation for another day. But assuming he does, the Red Wings could do so much worse than adding three first-rounders this season.
It would be a decent consolation prize amid a major black eye for the organization.
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