The Minnesota Wild reportedly passed on signing free agent Vincent Trocheck because they still believe they can land Dylan Larkin.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith reported the update earlier this week, framing it as a real strategic bet by Minnesota's front office.
The belief inside the organization is that Larkin actually wants to end up with the Wild, according to that reporting.
That is a notable gamble. Trocheck was a real name on the free agent market, and Minnesota let him go elsewhere instead.
Larkin gives Minnesota a different kind of appeal. He posted 34 goals, 33 assists and 67 points over 74 games this past season.
He was even better late, piling up 11 points over his final 10 games with Detroit.
Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit, a number that would slot in right alongside Kaprizov's $9 million deal.
Larkin reportedly wants to land in Minnesota
General manager Bill Guerin already has Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes locked into the middle of his roster.
Adding a true first-line center like Larkin would give Minnesota a genuine top-heavy core to build the rest of the roster around.
Minnesota finished last season 46-24-12 for 104 points and seventh overall under head coach John Hynes, proof the roster already competes.
Detroit's side of this is complicated by its own front office search, with Steve Yzerman no longer running the show there.
Whoever takes over as Detroit's next general manager will inherit the Larkin situation as one of the very first decisions on their desk.
The original report from Russo and Smith lays out the full read on where both sides stand.
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Passing on a proven free agent to bet on a trade that has not even happened yet is a real risk, and Minnesota is fully aware of it.
Should the Wild have signed Vincent Trocheck instead of waiting on Dylan Larkin?
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