Dylan Larkin's trade request takes a bad turn after Detroit's latest move

Owner Chris Ilitch has brought in an outside search firm to find Steve Yzerman's replacement, per Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. This is bad news for Larkin.

Assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff is handling day-to-day hockey operations, but his authority stops short of completing a trade.

Dylan Larkin asked out in early June and still has not withdrawn the request. His full no-trade clause runs through July 2028, so he continues to control the destination.

Here is the part getting skipped.

The asking price on Larkin, reported by Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos as Minnesota winger Matt Boldy, was set by an executive who no longer has the authority to enforce it.

Every team on Larkin's list understands that number dies the moment someone new is hired.

Stalling costs them nothing and costs Detroit plenty.

It gets sharper. St. James reports Ilitch wants an analytics-driven hire, and that profile is the least likely to defend a premium valuation on a 30-year-old center signed through 2031 at $8.7 million.

NHL analyst John Shannon told The Detroit News the search could stretch into September, which is when training camp opens.

Larkin could realistically show up for camp still wanting out, with nobody in the building empowered to move him.

The market does not help either.

Minnesota, Vegas, Florida and Dallas all have cap problems, which pushes any deal toward a third team and deeper into the season.

Detroit also needs Simon Edvinsson signed and an Alex DeBrincat decision made, and none of that starts until the firm delivers a name.

Waiting does not restore leverage here.

It just hands the next general manager a cheaper version of the same problem.

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