Dylan Larkin linked to a surprise destination few people had considered

Dylan Larkin didn't put Boston Bruins on his trade list, but that hasn't stopped this summer's speculation from building.

The Detroit Red Wings captain remains one of the biggest names hanging over the trade market after requesting a move out of Detroit.

Red Wings have confirmed that Larkin's camp informed the organization he wants out, and supplied a short list of teams he'd waive his no-movement clause for.

Boston isn't on it. At least not yet.

That hasn't stopped the chatter around Bruins GM Don Sweeney picking up the phone anyway.

Detroit's captain posted 34 goals and 33 assists for 67 points across 74 games this season, adding nine game-winning goals and a plus-3 rating.

He was scorching over his final ten games too, five goals and six assists for 11 points, then four goals and five helpers in his last five outings.

Why Boston's center depth makes this urgent

Here's the thing. Sweeney would be foolish not to explore this, list or no list.

Boston's current center group runs through Pavel Zacha, who put up 30 goals and 65 points, and Elias Lindholm, who managed just 48 points in 69 games.

Larkin slotting in behind them, or ahead, pushes everyone down a notch and turns a decent middle into a real weapon.

Picture him wheeling the puck to David Pastrnak on the wing. Pastrnak scored 100 points this season. That's not a projection, that's math with a face on it.

Larkin carries a cap hit of 8,700,000 dollars, hardly a bargain-bin add, but Boston finished with 100 points and a plus-22 goal differential this year. They can carry it.

The two clubs actually split their season series. Boston won a shootout meeting in Detroit back in late November, then the Red Wings answered with a 5-4 home win in early December.

So it's not like Detroit rolls over against Boston. That series was close both times, and it says nothing about whether Larkin ever wants to wear black and gold.

Here's where this gets complicated. Larkin's no-movement clause means Detroit can't just ship him to the best offer on the table.

Detroit confirmed the list is short. Boston has reportedly never been on it.

So Sweeney's first move probably isn't calling about compensation at all. It's calling about access.

Would Original Six history, Pastrnak, and a real shot at the top of the lineup be enough to get Larkin to change his mind?

Nobody outside his camp knows that. But Sweeney only needs him to say yes once.

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