Dylan Larkin has reportedly opened another door in his attempt to leave the Detroit Red Wings, but the price Steve Yzerman placed on that door may prevent it from moving any further.
According to reporting attributed to MLive’s Ansar Khan, Larkin has added the Dallas Stars to the teams he would consider joining. The Detroit Red Wings reportedly responded to Dallas’ interest by beginning with an enormous request: 23-year-old centre Wyatt Johnston. The Stars quickly rejected that idea.
That response should surprise nobody. Johnston erupted for 45 goals and 86 points in 82 games during the 2025-26 season, while Larkin recorded 34 goals and 67 points in 74 appearances. Johnston is younger, slightly less expensive and already developing into one of Dallas’ most important offensive players.
However, Yzerman’s demand still tells us something important: Detroit is not prepared to trade its captain merely to accommodate his request. If the Red Wings move Larkin, they want a player who can immediately replace his first-line impact, not a collection of uncertain futures.
Why Dylan Larkin would fit the Dallas Stars
Larkin would give the Dallas Stars another proven, fast and experienced top-six centre capable of playing in every situation. His straight-line speed would add a different dimension to a roster built around skilled forwards such as Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz and Johnston.
The appeal is not simply about adding another scorer. Larkin can transport the puck through the neutral zone, attack defenders off the rush, take difficult matchups and contribute on both special teams. He also brings leadership and the urgency of a player who has spent most of his NHL career trying to return Detroit to the playoffs.
Dallas already lists Johnston, Hintz and Matt Duchene among its centres, so this is not a team lacking NHL-calibre options down the middle. The more accurate argument is that Larkin would provide another legitimate top-line option and protect Dallas against injuries, age-related decline and difficult playoff matchups.
In a postseason series, a rotation featuring Larkin, Hintz and Johnston would allow Dallas to attack opponents in waves. Johnston could remain at centre or move to the wing when matchups demand it. Larkin could also play alongside Rantanen, giving Dallas a combination of pace, puck retrieval and finishing ability that would be difficult to contain.
Dylan Larkin Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 191 | 39 | 47 | 86 | -4 |
| Playoffs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Why Wyatt Johnston is an understandable, but unrealistic, asking price
From Detroit’s perspective, requesting Johnston makes perfect sense as an opening position.
The Detroit Red Wings cannot trade Larkin without considering who becomes their No. 1 centre the following night. Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson may eventually take on larger roles, but asking either young player to immediately replace Larkin’s production, leadership and workload would introduce significant risk.
Johnston would solve that problem instantly. He produced 45 goals and 86 points last season and is signed through 2029-30 at an $8.4 million annual cap hit. Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit through 2030-31. Detroit would become younger and save $300,000 annually while receiving the more productive player from last season.
That is precisely why Dallas would refuse.
Johnston is six years younger than Larkin, already scored 45 goals in a season and has four years remaining on a contract that should become increasingly valuable as the NHL salary cap rises. Trading him straight up for Larkin would require the Stars to surrender the asset with greater long-term value while also taking on the slightly higher cap hit.
Our NHL trade-value model
The following model uses five factors weighted for a team attempting to contend now without damaging its long-term roster.
| Trade-value factor | Weight | Dylan Larkin | Wyatt Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current on-ice impact | 30% | 8.5 | 9.3 |
| Age and future trajectory | 25% | 7.2 | 9.7 |
| Contract value and control | 20% | 8.4 | 9.2 |
| Positional importance | 15% | 9.0 | 9.4 |
| Replaceability and trade leverage | 10% | 7.5 | 9.6 |
| Weighted trade-value score | 100% | 8.13/10 | 9.43/10 |
This is not an argument that Larkin lacks major value. He remains a legitimate top-line NHL centre with five seasons of contractual control. The model shows why Detroit would target Johnston and why Dallas would immediately remove him from consideration.
Proprietary salary-cap calculation
PuckPedia currently projects the Dallas Stars to have approximately $10.64 million in 2026-27 cap space with 21 players on the active roster. Adding Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit without sending salary to Detroit would leave roughly $1.94 million, although Dallas still has roster and contract decisions to complete.
A Johnston-for-Larkin exchange would be easy financially:
- Larkin cap hit: $8.7 million
- Johnston cap hit: $8.4 million
- Net increase for Dallas: $300,000
- Projected Dallas space afterward: approximately $10.34 million
The cap mechanics are not the obstacle. The difference in player value is.
What a realistic Dylan Larkin trade could cost Dallas
If Johnston is untouchable, Dallas would need to construct a package that helps Detroit in more than one area. Yzerman would likely seek a younger NHL forward capable of playing in the top six, a premium prospect and meaningful draft capital.
The difficulty is that Detroit does not need to accept a quantity-over-quality package. Yzerman publicly confirmed receiving the trade request but stressed that he made no guarantee it would be fulfilled. Larkin has five years remaining on his contract, giving the Red Wings the ability to wait rather than accept a discounted return.
My read is that the Johnston request was both sincere and strategic. Yzerman would gladly make that trade, but he also knew Dallas was unlikely to accept it. Starting with Johnston establishes how highly Detroit values Larkin and signals that secondary pieces will not be enough.
Dallas may be willing to discuss alternative players, prospects or draft picks, but the Stars are also short on premium future selections after several win-now moves. PuckPedia’s current draft inventory shows Dallas without its 2028 first-round pick and with several other selections already moved.
That weakens the Stars’ ability to build a futures-heavy offer that would convince Detroit to trade its captain.
Is a Larkin trade to Dallas actually realistic?
Larkin being open to Dallas is meaningful because his trade protection gives him considerable control over the process. Expanding his list creates another possible negotiating partner for Yzerman.
It does not, however, make a trade likely.
Dallas has the cap flexibility to fit Larkin today, but its roster situation remains fluid. The Stars also have strong centre depth, while Detroit would be creating an enormous hole at the position. The only clean solution for the Red Wings is acquiring Johnston, and that is the one solution Dallas has reportedly rejected.
Unless Yzerman reduces his demands or Stars general manager Jim Nill creates a larger, multi-player proposal, this looks more like an intriguing conversation than an approaching blockbuster.
My expectation is that Johnston remains in Dallas. Larkin could still become a Star, but Detroit would need to identify another centrepiece with enough upside to justify moving the face of the Red Wings.
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No way this deal should happen Johnston future superstar and perhaps the future captain of the Stars he’s younger and overall a better player
Larkin isn’t going anywhere. 2 things. The asking price by Yzerman is too high. Larkin isn’t giving Yzerman enough teams to work with.
There are 27 more teams that Larkin could go to. Granted some are in as bad a shape as the Wings and probably won’t see the playoffs, but there are other teams that are playoff teams he could pick.