A new Dylan Larkin trade idea involving the Boston Bruins is making the rounds this afternoon, and it hinges on the Red Wings captain's say.
It's one more name in a market that has been busy all day. Larkin has been the center of trade talk for the Red Wings, and our report on Larkin turning down a Sabres push was only the start of it.
Hot Take Hockey floated a framework in which Larkin would only move if he approves, calling it "pretty straight forward."
-
The proposal has Detroit receiving Pavel Zacha, Mason Lohrei and draft picks, with Boston getting Larkin. The post is a suggestion, not a report, and nothing in it says the teams have talked.
Still, the pieces are worth a look. Zacha is a 29-year-old center with 10 points in 15 games this season. Lohrei is a 25-year-old defenseman with 6 points in 16 games.
Boston doesn't have an obvious need on paper. The Bruins are 11-4-1, first in the Atlantic Division, and they beat the Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout Monday night.
Would the Bruins really pay this price?
That's the question for Don Sweeney. Giving up a top-line center and a young defenseman who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season is a lot to ask, even for a player of Larkin's standing.
Larkin is 30, and he has 6 points in 10 games this year. Over his NHL career he has 649 points in 818 games, and Boston would be adding that kind of production to a team that already leads its division.
From Detroit's side, the return is interesting but not overwhelming. The Red Wings are 7-5-3 and sit 8th in the Atlantic, and they won 5-3 in Florida on Monday. They play at Tampa Bay tonight, and Todd McLellan's group doesn't look like a team in a hurry to sell.
Zacha would give Detroit a replacement at center, but Lohrei is the piece that raises the cost for Boston. Trading a young blueliner plus picks for a 30-year-old on a deal that runs through 2030-31 would be a bold swing, and it looks like a lot to give up.
Our Pierre LeBrun report on a team out on Larkin showed Florida isn't really in the picture. Whether Boston belongs on that list is unknown, and Larkin's approval remains the first hurdle. The Bruins play at Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Should the Bruins give up Zacha, Lohrei and picks for Dylan Larkin?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Tyrel Bauer sends a message to the Xhekaj brothers
