Dylan Larkin trade saga takes a major turn as Flyers offer to help Minnesota

The Philadelphia Flyers are willing to help make a Dylan Larkin trade work, and it could cost Minnesota a first-round prospect.

According to Daily Faceoff, the Flyers would absorb Yakov Trenin's $3.5M cap hit to help facilitate a Wild and Red Wings deal. Charlie Stramel could be part of the price.

The news landed Saturday, hours after the Red Wings lost 5-4 to the Blues at home. Detroit sits at 6-5-3 and has now lost its last game, with a trip to Florida set for Monday.

Larkin is carrying a $8.7M cap hit through 2030-31, which is exactly why a third team matters here. Minnesota has to clear room, and Trenin is the obvious piece to move.

Trenin has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games this season, with a -3 rating. Over his NHL career he has 61 goals in 472 games, a useful depth forward who has not produced for the Wild this fall.

Stramel is a different conversation. The 22-year-old right winger was the 21st overall pick in 2023 and has yet to play an NHL game.

Larkin himself is off to a modest start with 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 games, a +3 rating. He has 278 goals and 649 points over 818 career games, all of that production in Detroit.

Why Detroit's asking price is stalling Wild talks

The obstacle, per the post, is that the Red Wings' asking price has not come down. Flyers involvement solves a cap problem, but it does not solve a value gap.

Earlier this week, Elliotte Friedman's Canadiens scenario for Larkin had Detroit eyeing Oliver Kapanen and Adam Engstrom. That is a steep ask, and it tells you the Red Wings are not in a mood to discount a franchise center.

Minnesota can afford to be patient. The Wild are 9-3-3 with a +12 goal differential, so there is no emergency pushing them toward a bad price.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, is 3-8-4 and has lost three straight. Taking on a contract for a team in the standings race while sitting at the bottom of the Metropolitan is a savvy way to collect assets, and it is the smartest move in this whole story.

NHL Trade Rumors summed up the latest on the saga, noting that the Flyers are ready to absorb Trenin's contract and that Stramel could be involved:

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The Wild play at Washington on Sunday and the Flyers host Utah the same day. Whether Detroit lowers its demand before either team takes the ice again is the question that decides this deal.

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