Dylan Larkin requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings more than two months ago, but his full no-movement clause and Detroit's unwillingness to accept futures have left the sides at a standstill.
Detroit Free Press reporter Helene St. James previously reported that the Red Wings want "value-now players" rather than draft picks or prospects and specifically need a first-line center back for Larkin.
"The gist of the problem with trading Larkin: the Wings need a first-line center in return, and Larkin's selected teams aren't willing to part with their own players who fit that bill," St. James wrote.
Now, the market appears to have narrowed further, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.
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Russo appeared on "The Sheet with Jeff Marek" on Tuesday and said that two of Larkin's preferred destinations are no longer pursuing the Red Wings captain while discussing the future of Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes.
"(Hughes) knows that Dylan's preference would be to come to Minnesota, or Vegas or Florida, but Vegas or Florida right now don't have interest in him," Russo said. "But the Wild still do."
Larkin originally approved Minnesota, Florida and Vegas as destinations before reportedly adding Dallas. Russo's update, however, leaves Minnesota as the lone team among Larkin's original three choices still showing interest in the Red Wings center.
Even that path to Minnesota remains complicated by Detroit's asking price, as reported by St. James. That's because, according to Russo, the Wild might not have enough to convince Detroit to complete a trade.
"We've got to see who the (new Red Wings) GM is and then if the Wild can make some sort of contact, some sort of trade. The problem is there—the Wild's assets are what they are," Russo said. "I mean, they're not going to magically suddenly give up (Danila) Yurov in a Dylan Larkin trade."
Russo added that unless Detroit becomes willing to accept uncertain future assets, he does not know how a trade could happen.
"Unless they're going to want futures that aren't sure things, I don't know how that deal is going to get done unless it's a three-way trade," Russo said.
St. James previously suggested reconciliation could ultimately become Detroit's best option, especially because moving Larkin for draft capital would push the organization backward.
"Getting a first-round pick just sets them back another four or five years in the rebuild," St. James said. "That'd be miserable."
