Confirmed: MN Wild Coming for Dylan Larkin
Minnesota Wild president of hockey operations Bill Guerin is on the hunt for more talent. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it. You know who else knows it? Several extremely talented players across the NHL who are not happy with their current situation, or current teams.
When Quinn Hughes made it clear to the Canucks last year that he wasn’t going to re-sign in Vancouver when his contract came due after the 2026-27 season, the organization essentially had no choice but to trade him to the highest bidder, which happened to be the Minnesota Wild.
Dylan Larkin trade request sends shockwaves through NHL
This week, his good friend Dylan Larkin — who was a key piece to the Gold Medal winning Team USA Olympic team this winter — did the same thing. Except, the near 30-year-old Larkin publicly demanded his trade, which has sent shockwaves through the NHL over the past 24 hours.
Larkin isn’t just another member of the Detroit Red Wings. Team captain since 2021, the Michigan native — who went to college at the University of Michigan before his hometown NHL team selected him No. 15 overall in the 2014 draft — is the Detroit Red Wings. And now, the Michigan man wants out of Michigan.
Dylan Larkin is not a villain in this situation, asking to be traded. In a way, he's doing the Wings a favor, forcing Yzerman to shake up a stale roster in a 10-year playoff drought. It's Larkin's most forceful act as captain, and it doesn't have to be a disaster for the Wings.
— Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) June 5, 2026
Through 11 seasons in Detroit (808 games), Larkin has scored 276 goals and 367 assists, powering through awful Red Wings season after awful Red Wings season and producing every year along the way, scoring at least 30 goals and 30 assists every season since 2021-22.
Last year, Larkin scored 34 goals and assisted on 33 more. Unfortunately, a late season injury helped spark a late-season Red Wings collapse that resulted in them missing the playoffs for the 10th-straight season.
That means Larkin hasn’t seen the postseason since his rookie year, when he scored 23 goals and added 22 assists but averaged just 16:33 per game.
Yes, the Minnesota Wild are coming for Larkin
So, the obvious question? Is Billy Guerin coming for Dylan Larkin? When asked that question by everyone on the internet, Minnesota Wild insider Michael Russo made himself very clear with his response.
Yes, the Wild will be heavily involved in Larkin trade talks,
If you’ve read and listened to us for a year, we’ve often discussed that if Larkin ever wanted out, the Wild would be ready to pounce…
The match is perfect: The Wild need a No. 1 center. Wild GM Bill Guerin and coach John Hynes adore Larkin and his 200-foot game and compete level. It’s close to home. He’s buddies with Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber. And he’s represented by Hughes’ agent, Pat Brisson.
Michael Russo – The Athletic
Related: Icy Relations Between MN Wild and Russian Agent Could Doom Contract Extension
Before you go out and buy your Dylan Larkin jerseys Christmas jerseys tonight (he wears No. 71 btw), Russo does offer some caution in his report, despite how perfect of a match he and the Wild might be.
He reminds us that Larkin is a well-liked and highly-respected guy across the NHL. Dylan also has friends around the league — yes, even beyond all his Team USA buddies in Minnesota.
Other teams interested too, but…
Russo also mentions at least NINE teams (Kings, Bruins, Stars, Ducks, among others) who are sure to have interest in the Waterford, MI native, not including the MN Wild.
However, the insider also writes that “without a shadow of a doubt” the Wild are going to be “heavily in the mix”, and that Guerin has probably already reached out to Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman.
Reminder: Dylan Larkin has a full no-trade clause, which could help Minnesota, if he is indeed determined to play for Guerin — the man who named him Captain of the first Gold Medal winning American men’s Olympic hockey team since 1980.
Larkin controls this process with his no-trade, which could be good for the Wild because they don’t have a ton of assets left after trading for Larkin’s good friend, Quinn Hughes….We’ll see where this goes, but without a shadow of a doubt, the Wild will be heavily in the mix and probably called [the Red Wings] already.
Michael Russo – The Athletic
Related: MN Wild Less Willing to Trade Goalie Than Top Center
And if you think Michael Russo is just a biased Minnesota Wild reporter, it’s important to point out that he might be the coolest of all the NHL insiders when it comes to the leader in the NHL clubhouse to land Dylan Larkin via trade.
MN Wild or bust?
Sure, other teams will be involved, but you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who knows anyone around hockey that believes another team has a better chance to land Larkin than the Wild.
He’s the EXACT type of center this organization needs so desperately, and he undoubtedly knows that too. Does Billy still have the assets at his disposal to get a trade done? That is another question, but the early chatter is optimistic.
Dylan Larkin feels so Minnesota Wild coded. Not even sure how they make that work after trading the boat for Quinn, but they need a 1C, it's close to home, and he's got loads of American buddies on the team.
— Nathan "Grav" Murdock (@NathanGraviteh) June 4, 2026
Can't even BELIEVE I'm typing this right now.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Dylan Larkin trade request: I'm looking at Dallas; Tampa Bay, I don't know that Florida could do this, but I think you always have to look at them, but I think the #1 team that everybody's looking at is Minnesota – 32 Thoughts (6/5)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 5, 2026
Elliotte Friedman: Re Dylan Larkin/Wild rumours: There's a deal there, it's like Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel, who knows what else, it makes too much sense – 32 Thoughts (6/5)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 5, 2026
More About:Minnesota Wild
