AROUND THE LEAGUE - 25-26

[Meds]

Jason Robertson and a 1st for Larkin.

McTavish Mintyukov amd a pick for Larkin.

I know your post was just starting a conversation. I was participating.

I went and looked at Stramel…..seems there might be something there that could move the needle a bit.

Also one has to consider Larkin’s value (which I did not). He’s a 1C, but not a stud. He’s not even a 1.0 PPG guy.

Did you see Robertson and a 1st somewhere? Because that’s outlandish. Robertson is punching well above Larkin in production…..to the tune of 30 (22 adjusted for GP) more points this year. Robertson for Larkin and a 2nd maybe?

I think there might be something to the idea of McTavish and Minty for Larkin. Larkin wants a change and McTavish seems to need one. Detroit takes more risk on McTavish but gains cap and a younger player with plenty of ceiling above him. Anaheim gets an older guy, but also a bit of cost certainty, and that player may have half a gear more in him in a new environment. Minty is young and either bolsters Detroit’s stable or is moved on for another piece.

[donlever]

Yeah...the Anaheim deal I grabbed out of my ass.

The Dallas deal I saw somewhere on Socialz (I thought maybe Bucci but it doesn't seem so) and now I can't find it.

I imagine the first is to offset the 110 millon dollars you're gonna have to pay Robertson as opposed to Larkin who is signed through 2031 at 8.7....

Dallas with Larkin Johnston and Hintz down the guy is pretty scary.

[Meds]

Well I think your ass grab trumps socialz. lol.

One of Detroits problems is that they have nothing behind Larkin down the middle. If they move Larkin out for Robertson and don’t have a centre for Robertson to play with, his 8-figure cap hit is gonna see like a bad overpayment.

I like this move if they also pivot and make another move sending out either Seider or Edvinsson for a center.

[UWSaint]

The Dallas deal I saw somewhere on Socialz (I thought maybe Bucci but it doesn't seem so) and now I can't find it.

Proposed by a red wing fan, I would think.

Lots of the commentariat are jizzing over how great Larkin is, but honestly he’s just quite good—close (perhaps a bit above) the Horvat/Miller territory of value (Miller if he hadn’t limited the suitors to one).

Horvat was a first, a decent prospect, a salary move that turned into a 5th. Which is why I think Larkin will probably return a 1st, a good prospect, and a 2d. The better the team is, the more likely that 1st is projected in that 25-32 range, the more likely that team will have to make up for it with a better prospect.

[UWSaint]

Screenshot_20260605-193133_theScore.jpg

I think this Minny deal is good value for Detroit.

But they aren’t retooling/rebooting, I don’t think. They could be very interested if they have another way to make the nhl roster better next year.

[donlever]

They could be very interested if they have another way to make the nhl roster better next year.

They have to imo UW.

They're on the cusp...need to start getting to WCF's & challenging for Cups.

Their window is wide open potentially for 5 years or so.

Plus they need to keep Hughes interested.

Of course they'd love Barkov or McDavid or Crosby et al but the reality is Larkin is available.

And signed long term to value.

That's pretty fucking good.

He's pretty fucking good...I'm taking him over Horvat or Miller all day everyday.

If Guerin isn't in Steve's ear right now my aunt has nuts.

[UWSaint]

My comment was about DET needing to get better.

Minny is a center away. I agree they will target Larkin.

[donlever]

My bad....misread.

We're both right...

[donlever]

Babcock to the Oil?

Are we living in Bizzaro World?

[Topper]

Babcock to the Oil?

Are we living in Bizzaro World?

A Tortorella knee jerk reaction rumour.

...again, Knoblauch wasn't the problem.

[BoS]

Babcock to the Oil?

Are we living in Bizzaro World?

If anyone can turn that ship around, it’d be Babs. But yes, the Oil need vast improvement from the crease to the blueline before they can expect to compete for the cup again.

[UWSaint]

Apparently Larkin is only willing to waive to 3 teams -- Vegas, Florida, and Minnesota. But I don't think there's confirmation of this rumor from Larkin or the Red Wings.

The rich get richer... But you know, there will be tradeoffs.

Florida $15M in cap space and no goaltenders. So that's kind of a big deal to solve -- though Detroit could help with that, too, for the right price. They don't really have any other issues -- roster "compete for" spots are really the bottom end of the forward and D group, all can be filled with near league min guys. They have a core + set for 4 years if they want to keep it running (the last two might be getting long in the tooth, but...) Still, I think that to add Larkin's $8.7M and 2 goalies, its likely they are going to need to move some one out -- and given their prospect pool is not good at all, they would likely move a player out as part of the deal. Lundell and a 1st (9OA) is a package that should get it done -- its better than the 1st and 2d and good prospect (former mid to late first; rising looks like an NHLer former 2d) that I think is going to be around the market because that first is going to be more valuable than what the other teams can offer and the player is the kind of quality you hope draft picks become. And makes some sense -- if Florida wants to increase their speed and add a little pop, this is it. And Detroit gets a cost-controlled player in the age range of Raymond and Seider and who (IMO) is a very good 2 way forward who can be a 2C for years. Detroit would then decide whether they want to flip that pick for talent now as Stevie Y tries to hang on to his job.

Vegas has its handful from a cap perspective. $4.6M but can bank on AP's $8.8M on LTIR. That's 13.4M to work with with a number of low priority roster spots to fill except Dorfeyev. In a simple world, its go for Larkin and let Dorofeyev walk. But its Vegas, they could win the Cup and remake the team.... Consider they find a home for Hertl. Or W. Karlsson. Then anything's possible. (They might have to move one of those guys to keep Dorofeyev as it is -- he's got a great chance to be the top FA in this class and has never made bank; I'm thinking he's going to test the market). But those guys can't be of too much interest to Detroit, and Vegas doesn't really have picks to trade anymore. Its prospect pool is thin -- better than Florida's to be sure, but its not like there's a can't miss player there.

Which brings us to Minnesota. They have $9.5M -- but that's not enough for Larkin and resigning Brink and Hunt. Larkin's a great fit for them, but most of their best players are making their money -- which is why they are a good team. Wallstedt is a great trade chip -- but does Detroit want that when they are deep (if not quality) in net? I can see Yurov as being part of a trade, but that can't be the centerpiece. Could there be something crazy like Faber going the other way? Or Hughes? Point is, Guerin is going to have to get creative now that they've emptied out so many of their chips.

I'm thinking that it might be Florida....

[Meds]

Apparently Larkin is only willing to waive to 3 teams -- Vegas, Florida, and Minnesota. But I don't think there's confirmation of this rumor from Larkin or the Red Wings.

The rich get richer... But you know, there will be tradeoffs.

Florida $15M in cap space and no goaltenders....

Vegas has its handful from a cap perspective. $4.6M but can bank on AP's $8.8M on LTIR. That's 13.4M to work with with a number of low priority roster spots to fill except Dorfeyev. In a simple world, its go for Larkin and let Dorofeyev walk. But its Vegas, they could win the Cup and remake the team...

Which brings us to Minnesota....

I'm thinking that it might be Florida....

On Vegas.....

When you said: they could win the Cup and remake the team... I think that would be the most prudent decision they could make.

When you consider their history.....

They have been considered a threat every season since they surprised the league in their inaugural campaign.

Won their division 5 times.

Finished top-5 overall 4 times.

Qualified for the playoffs in 8 of their 9 seasons.

Advanced to the second round 6 times.

Advanced to the Conference Finals in 4 times.

Advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in 3 of those years.

If they win this year they will have made it to the Finals 33% of the time and won the Cup 66% of the time they made it there.

Now you look at their roster, and of course the turnover is incredible with only 2 skaters remaining from their expansion season, but they are at a critical point with their roster.....

Up front you have Marner and Eichel, who next season will be 29 and 30 (respectively).

On the blueline you have Hanifin and Theodore, 29 and 13 (respectively).

In net you have Carter Hart, 28 next season.

If you take the rest of the roster and consider them expendable, you could make some trades that allow you to restock your prospect depth over the next two seasons, and return to being a serious competitor when those 5 guys I mention are 34 years old, likely have a couple solid years left (barring injury) and have mentored a new group of players who are pushing to be their successors.

I mean, win 2 cups in a decade, with multiple deep playoff runs, and then avoid the classic slow decline and ultimate rebuild to return quickly to becoming a team that nobody can dismiss as a potential finalist, that would be almost unheard of in the NHL cap era.


On Minnesota.....

I think that Guerin would be smart to consider trading either Hughes or Faber if it means acquiring Larkin.

He has minimal trade capital right now after acquiring Hughes, they were ranked 23rd in prospect depth rankings by The Athletic, and frankly, no team wins a Cup these days without a 1C.....and they don't have one, which has been the knock on Minnesota for a few years.

I think that Larkin + Kaprizov + Faber is better than Ericsson Ek + Kaprizov + Hughes when it comes to being a force in the post-season.

Obviously Larkin + Kaprizov + Hughes is the best option, but that may not be doable depending upon Hughes.

If Hughes signs an extension then make the move with Faber, but if Hughes wants to wait and see again, trade him.


On Detroit.....

Nothing Vegas might offer them should be tempting right now because frankly Vegas cannot offer much of "right now" value.

Hughes would be massive for Yzerman. If he acquired Quinn in a trade-and-sign scenario, he could then decide between Edvinsson and Seider and trade one of them for a center.....instantly improves his team with the addition of Hughes and a lateral move at the 1C with Larkin. He also avoids being the GM that sent the home-state 1C star and Captain packing by replacing him with the home-state superstar defenseman.

If it's Faber, then same story, but perhaps instead of trading Edvinsson or Seider you flip Faber immediately to another team.

While Florida probably has the easiest time making things work, I think that Minnesota makes the most sense in the scenario I describe.