Dylan Larkin would only join one Atlantic team, but a major trade problem has emerged
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Elliotte Friedman says Florida is a landing spot Dylan Larkin would accept, but the Red Wings aren't rebuilding and Eetu Luostarinen is the sticking point.
Elliotte Friedman believes Dylan Larkin would be happy to land in Florida, but getting Detroit to agree on the return is where this gets messy.
Speaking on NHL Now, Friedman said the Panthers sit among the destinations Larkin would be comfortable with.
The big hurdle is that the Red Wings are not looking to rebuild.
He floated Eetu Luostarinen as the Florida piece that could work, then admitted he wasn't sure the Panthers would be willing to move him.
Re Dylan Larkin: "I do think that [Florida is] one of the teams that he would go to; I think the big challenge....Detroit is not looking to rebuild; the Panthers do have...Eetu Luostarinen; I don't know if they'd be willing to do that."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
Why Florida keeps coming up
Larkin, 30, asked for a trade in June and named the Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights as places he'd accept.
Friedman has since said the list grew to eight or nine American contenders.
Detroit stripped him of the captaincy last month, and he sat out Friday's season opener with an upper-body injury while fans booed him during introductions.
He's signed through 2030-31 at $8.7 million per year after scoring 34 goals and 67 points last season, so the Red Wings aren't short on reasons to demand real value back.
The Luostarinen question
Detroit wants players who can help right now, and Luostarinen fits that profile as a forward.
The catch is that Florida may not want to give him up, especially with the team waiting on news about captain Aleksander Barkov's injury.
Cap space is tight in Florida too, which limits what the Panthers can add to a package.
Detroit has missed the playoffs 10 straight seasons, which explains the urgency.
Until the Red Wings get a return that helps them win now, a Larkin deal looks possible but still a long way off.
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