Wild think Yurov plus firsts can land Dylan Larkin

Dylan Larkin is the center Minnesota reportedly wants, and the Wild believe their Danila Yurov package is a strong one.

Elliotte Friedman said on NHL Now that the offer is built around Yurov, another player and what he believes is two or three first-round picks. That is a serious number of assets for one 30-year-old forward.

Larkin's Red Wings play tonight at Florida. Detroit sits 20th in the NHL at 6-5-3 and lost 5-4 to St. Louis on Saturday.

Larkin has 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 games this season, with a +3 rating. Both of his power-play points are assists.

Yurov, meanwhile, is the piece Minnesota would be giving up. The 22-year-old winger has 5 goals in 16 games and scored a power-play goal in the Wild's reported Yurov and firsts offer week's win at Washington on Sunday.

Minnesota can afford to shop. The Wild are 10-3-3, third in the NHL and first in the Central Division, with a +16 goal differential.

Sunday's 5-1 win over the Capitals had contributions from everywhere. Quinn Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov and Michael McCarron all scored, and Jesper Wallstedt stopped 26 of 27.

This is a team that doesn't need Larkin to survive. It wants him to push a top-three roster even higher, and that changes how much Detroit can ask for.

Why Detroit should listen to a three-first offer

Larkin's career regular-season rating is -98 over 818 games, and his deal carries an $8,700,000 cap hit through 2030-31. A package of Yurov, another player and multiple firsts for that profile is the kind Detroit should take seriously. Walking away from it would be a bad read of the market.

Minnesota is not alone. Washington is also engaged in Larkin trade talks, according to our earlier reporting, and that kind of competition can push a price up.

Yurov is on an entry-level deal at $972,500 through 2027-28, then he becomes a restricted free agent. That cost certainty is part of why he is such an appealing centerpiece.

Friedman's read from conversations around the league is that Minnesota believes it has a great offer on the table.

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Nothing here says Detroit has accepted anything, and general manager Shawn Horcoff has not tipped his hand in anything we have. Todd McLellan's club is in Florida tonight, and the Wild are at Philadelphia on Tuesday.

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