Bruce Garrioch is reporting that the Sharks and Hurricanes are among the teams making a hard push for Red Wings center Dylan Larkin.
Several clubs have called Detroit, according to Garrioch. The complication is that some of those callers aren't among the 10 destinations on Larkin's no-trade list, the ones he would waive to accept a deal.
Garrioch said he has been led to believe San Jose and Carolina are among those pushing hardest. He didn't say whether either club is on the list, and no price has been reported.
The timing isn't helping Detroit. The Red Wings lost 5-4 at Florida on Thursday night, their fifth straight defeat, and they sit 26th in the NHL at 7-10-3.
Larkin, 30, has 6 points in 10 games this season. He was drafted 15th overall by Detroit in 2014 and has 649 points in 818 career games, so he is not a rental piece anyone calls about casually.
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His $8.7 million cap hit runs through 2030-31, which makes any deal a long commitment for the team that lands him.
Why Carolina and San Jose are the teams to watch
The two clubs are in very different places. Carolina is 15-3-2, first in the NHL, and won 4-1 at Seattle on Thursday. San Jose is 8-11-2, 24th overall, and is 2-7-1 over its last 10.
That contrast is the interesting part. The Hurricanes would be adding to a team that is already winning, while the Sharks, with a -21 goal differential, would be asking Larkin to help fix a team that is still far from a contender.
If Larkin gets to choose, Carolina is the easier sell. A 30-year-old center with a contract that long can see the difference between a first-place club and a 24th-place one.
Boston has been part of the conversation too. As we reported Thursday, Frank Seravalli's view on the Bruins and Larkin was that Boston could sneak into the talks even though it isn't on his 10-team list.
The other obstacle has been on Detroit's side of the table. David Pagnotta said Wednesday that it still comes down to who blinks first, which is where the Dylan Larkin standoff reported by David Pagnotta left things.
Detroit plays at Tampa Bay on Saturday, while Carolina hosts Seattle and San Jose visits Utah the same day. The calls will keep coming, and the no-trade list will decide how many of them go anywhere.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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