Steve Yzerman makes another mistake involving Dylan Larkin

Detroit Free Press insider Helene St. James laid out exactly what the Red Wings were chasing throughout the standoff with their captain.

That demand shaped every conversation Detroit had with Larkin's three preferred destinations, Florida, Minnesota and Vegas. None offered a proven top-six center in return, and Yzerman refused to budge even as the stalemate stretched across the offseason.

Detroit's lack of center depth behind Larkin has been an organizational weakness for years.

Trading away a 30-year-old, five-time 25-goal scorer without bringing back a legitimate replacement down the middle would have left the position gutted.

That is why futures and draft picks were never going to satisfy Yzerman, regardless of how loudly rival teams offered them.

The asking price effectively narrowed the field. Minnesota reportedly balked at including winger Matt Boldy.

Florida was unwilling to part with center Anton Lundell. Vegas simply lacked the ready-now pieces to match what Detroit wanted.

Yzerman has since moved from general manager to a senior advisor role, with assistant GM Shawn Horcoff overseeing daily operations.

Whether Horcoff maintains the same hardline stance on value-now returns remains one of the biggest questions hanging over the Larkin saga heading into the new season.

Larkin, who has 643 career points across 808 games with Detroit, holds full no-movement protection and has not expanded his list of preferred destinations since requesting the trade.

That leverage cuts both ways. It limits his options, but it also means Detroit cannot simply ship him out for whatever offer comes along.

For now, Larkin remains a Red Wing, and the price tag Yzerman set still looms over any potential deal. Whether Horcoff softens that stance or holds the line will shape how this saga finally resolves.

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