MN Wild Running Out of Time on Dylan Larkin Trade

The Minnesota Wild have been trying to trade for Dylan Larkin pretty much this entire month of June. That can’t be how president of hockey operations Bill Guerin thought this offseason would start, when the Wild lost out of the playoffs in round two.

He certainly wasn’t mad, however, when Larkin demanded a trade out of Detroit and included Minnesota on a list of three teams he’d waive his no-trade clause for. Weeks later, I wonder if Billy G. still feels that way. Because ever since, the MN Wild’s offseason has been at a complete stand-still.

Until they get a resolution on the Larkin sweepstakes, they couldn’t afford to negotiate a new deal with Mats Zuccarello or any other pending unrestricted free agent not named Michael McCarron. Even Marcus Johansson left, in favor of the Swedish Hockey League.

So Wednesday at 11 a.m. CDT, when free agency opens Zuccy, Vladimir Tarasenko, Nick Foligno, Zach Bogosian and others will all hit the open market. To make matters worse, the only top-6 caliber forwards on that list (Mats, Vlad) we already know are gone for sure, leaving Guerin with all sorts of holes to now fill.

Time to trade for Dylan Larkin is running out

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild continue to wait (pray) that Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman decides to move Dylan Larkin before they are forced to move on. When will that supposed deadline be…?

According to local insider Michael Russo (via KFAN Radio), that time is tomorrow at noon, when NHL free agency begins.

“Free agency starts [Wednesday]. They obviously have their sights set on trying to trade for Dylan Larkin, but they also have a ton of business that they got to get done in free agency because they’re losing, most likely Zuccarello, they’re losing most likely Tarasenko. They’ve lost Johansson, so that’s three top nine wingers leaving that they’ve got to replace.

If you don’t get Larkin done [by July 1], you can’t wait around forever. And so I genuinely believe if they can’t get this done in the next couple of days, they’re gonna have to do business on July one and try to get some players in here. And that could really mean that they’re going to go into next season, at least currently, with the centers that they have on the rosters.”

Michael Russo – KFAN Radio

Honestly, I thought Billy would have already packed things in on the Larkin negotiations weeks ago, after Yzerman first balked at his initial overtures.

Alone, that tells us a lot about how much Guerin really wants to see the 29-year-old Gold Medal winning centerman (who turns 30 exactly one month from now) in a Minnesota Wild sweater.

However, the Wild’s patience and persistence throughout this process also signals to me a steadfast belief internally that a Larkin deal will ultimately come to fruition. I just can’t see Guerin rail-roading the start of such a crucial offseason, otherwise.

Minnesota Wild’s “Plan B” does not include a new center

Russo goes on to “guess” that the MN Wild are offering THREE first round picks AND Danila Yurov to the Red Wings, in exchange for Larkin. So far, that hasn’t been enough to get Detroit’s attention. With just hours now remaining until the start of free agency, it’s “Larkin or bust” right now on the trade market.

And if Billy can’t find common ground with Yzerman in the next 23 hours and counting, the Wild will have to accept their current fate at center and move on to adding (discount) top-6 wing talent via free agency, to replace Zuccarello, Johansson and Tarasenko.

Whatever right now the Wild are offering the Detroit Red Wings. Hasn’t moved the needle. My guess is probably three first round picks and [Danila] Yurov or something very close to that.

And look, this is a franchise altering trade of the captain…Steve Yzerman, wants to get more because they don’t want to do a rebuild on the rebuild, and do an ‘all-futures’ deal, like Brady Tkachuck….

…I think it is Dylan Larkin or bust. So it’s like [land] Dylan Larkin in the next couple of days, or [the Wild are] going to have to go spend their money on wingers in free agency right away. And they don’t have a ton of cap space.

Michael Russo – KFAN Radio

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