There was quite a stir coming out of Detroit this afternoon, with Red Wings' captain Dylan Larkin requesting a trade after 11 seasons with the team. Everyone in need of an experienced center that has been consistently at an average of 70 points per season is jumping at this opportunity.
There is one team that has to do anything they can to get him. That team is the St. Louis Blues.
Let's go over why.
Could be a perfect trade partner
There is absolutely a need to go out and grab another center. Let's be very clear, Larkin is a top-10 center in this league, and there is no argument to be made there. He is consistent, sturdy, and tough as nails.
But the fact that he has played his entire tenure in Detroit, and with the lack of a playoff resume that comes with the current longest drought in the NHL, is worrisome. Larkin could come to St. Louis and excel even more, and potentially get a shot at making it back to the Playoffs, but it might take too much to get him.
The easy swap would be Jordan Kyrou for Larkin. Kyrou is two years younger, and Larkin costs about $500,000 more in AAV. But, is it worth it to jam up the center pipeline that they have been building for so long?
If a Larkin trade happened, Robert Thomas would still be the top center, with Larkin behind him. Then it would be Dalibor Dvorsky and Pius Suter battling for the third and fourth-line spots. Not a bad center of the ice, but then what becomes of the youth players like Aleksanteri Kaskimäki and Adam Jecho?
The Blues have emphasized their willingness to bet on the upcoming prospects to grow and adapt, but getting one more star player under the age of 30 might be worth it. Larkin is under contract through the 2030-31 season, and the Blues could be fully into a championship window by then.
Losing Kyrou as a possible trade piece is a big move, but with the skillset that Larkin has, it might be the most necessary. The top six becomes a devastating bunch with No. 71 coming over to the 'Lou.
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