The Red Wings sent two of their top executives to watch the Wild in the same week, and the Dylan Larkin trade talk just got a fresh push.
Assistant GM Kris Draper was at Minnesota's game in Buffalo on Tuesday, according to Ansar Khan of MLive. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff followed by attending the Wild's game in Tampa on Thursday.
Teams scout opponents all the time. Two senior decision-makers watching the same club in consecutive games, though, is hard to ignore.
Minnesota has been linked to Larkin since his offseason trade request. Earlier reporting listed the Wild, Florida and Vegas as destinations he would consider.
The purpose of the trips hasn't been confirmed. Still, the timing lines up with Frank Seravalli discussing a hypothetical Larkin-to-Minnesota package on Friday.
Danila Yurov is the name worth watching. The 22-year-old scored a power-play goal in that Buffalo game, the same night Draper was in the building.
Danila Yurov or futures: what the Wild could offer Detroit
The Wild have reportedly preferred to offer future assets instead, including draft picks and prospect Charlie Stramel, per Khan.
Yurov carries a $972,500 cap hit and has two points in four games. For Detroit, he'd be a far more appealing centrepiece than a futures-only package.
Money is the other hurdle. Larkin carries an $8,700,000 cap hit through 2030-31, and Minnesota is tight against the cap.
Moving Ryan Hartman at $4,000,000 and Yakov Trenin at $3,500,000 might not be enough on its own. Minnesota also placed Filip Gustavsson on LTIR on Friday.
Detroit should hold out for Yurov. A package of picks and distant prospects would leave another hole down the middle, and younger isn't the same thing as better.
Scouting the same team twice in a week is like test-driving the same car two days in a row. You haven't bought it, but the dealer knows you're serious.
The former captain showed his value on Tuesday with a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win over Ottawa, his first game of the season.
The Wild visit Florida on Saturday, another team on Larkin's list. If Horcoff wants to compare options, his schedule just got very convenient.
Should the Red Wings trade Dylan Larkin to the Wild for Danila Yurov?
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