The Boston Bruins entered the offseason knowing they had to make improvements down the middle, but two recent reports show how difficult it is to acquire a true No. 1 center.
Dylan Larkin requested a trade from his childhood team, the Detroit Red Wings, on Thursday, but the Bruins were not reported as one of his preferred destinations. St. Louis’ Robert Thomas is not expected to be on the market this summer, removing another center from an already thin market.
Bruins president Cam Neely specifically pointed out the lack of a true No. 1 center at the end-of-season presser last month.
“I mean, we all in this room recognize we don’t have a true number one [center],” said Neely. “And that’s something that we want to try to rectify, whether it’s this offseason or those guys (Fraser Minten and James Hagens) growing into it. But it’s something that we know that’s needed.”
Dylan Larkin shocked the hockey world when reports surfaced that he requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings. While neither he, his agent, nor Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has spoken publicly about the request, Emily Kaplan reported an issue stemming back to contract negotiations in 2023.
The Michigan native and current Red Wings captain has also endured 10 straight seasons without playoff hockey.
Larkin fits the Bruins’ window. He is turning 30, signed for five more years, and has scored 30 goals in each of his last five seasons. He’s a proven No. 1 center, something the Bruins have admitted they lack despite heavily investing in the position a few years ago.
However, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reported Larkin presented Steve Yzerman with three preferred destinations. He likes Vegas, Florida, and Minnesota, but that list can expand if deals are not attainable.
Not listed: Boston.
Not even as one of the three other teams (NYI, ANA, TBL) that “make sense,” according to St. James.
Larkin is not the only reason the No. 1 center market appears thinner than it did a week ago.
Robert Thomas surfaced as a trade candidate around the March deadline, but nothing came from it. Blues outgoing GM Doug Armstrong set the bar high; Thomas is 26 and nearing, if not already in, his prime. While he never requested a trade, Thomas landed on numeroustradeboards entering the offseason.
Andy Strickland, a Blues TV reporter, put the Thomas rumors “to rest.” He said the Blues will not move their No. 1 center, and Thomas is expected to be on the training camp roster in September.
The latest reports on Larkin and Thomas show what Don Sweeney admitted at the end of the season: finding a true No. 1 center is not easy.
While Cam Neely acknowledged the Bruins’ lack of a 1C, he left the option open for Fraser Minten and James Hagens to grow into larger roles.
While the Bruins’ options may appear limited, the market may not stay that way for long. On Monday afternoon, Elliotte Friedman said Larkin may not be the only player who asks for a move this summer.
“I don’t think this is the last one (trade request) we’re going to get this offseason. I’ve been working on some others. I’m sure other reporters are working on others,” said Friedman on The FAN Hockey Show. “This next generation… they think the player has more power than ever, and they want to flex it. I can understand why teams wouldn’t like that.”
The market is changing rapidly, especially in early June with just over three weeks until the draft. More names may emerge as the offseason moves along, but for now, finding a true No. 1 center remains easier said than done.
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