Dylan Larkin‘s future with the Detroit Red Wings remains uncertain, but one NHL analyst believes Steve Yzerman’s departure has reopened the conversation.
Speaking on The Sheet with Jeff Marek, Red Wings writer Max Bultman said there is now a better chance of Larkin staying. However, he stressed that the next general manager must present a convincing plan to make Detroit competitive again.
“I would say more than there was before, but I think a lot of it still depends so much on who the new person is and what kind of vision they want to sell,” Bultman said.
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Bultman also questioned whether Detroit’s current roster is capable of keeping pace in the Eastern Conference.
“Patrick Kane goes out, Victor Arvidsson comes in. You’re kind of in the same place you were.”
“This offseason wasn’t all that eventful… in terms of the roster transactions so far, Patrick Kane goes out, Victor Arvidsson comes in,” Bultman said. “You’re kind of in the same place you were.”
Larkin requested a trade earlier this offseason after frustrations with the team’s direction under Yzerman. Although Yzerman later stepped down as general manager, the captain’s future remains unresolved. Detroit also lost Patrick Kane in free agency after he returned to the Chicago Blackhawks, replacing him with Viktor Arvidsson while reshaping other areas of the roster.
Still, Bultman noted that competing in the Eastern Conference will be more difficult next season. He said, “Florida’s gotten way better and healthier. Washington’s gotten way better. I think New Jersey’s going to be a team to be reckoned with next year.”
A competitive plan is only way forward for Red Wings
Bultman believes Detroit’s next hockey executive faces an immediate challenge if the organization wants to repair its relationship with its captain.
“If you’re a new GM coming in, I think if you were going to try to sell Dylan Larkin on staying, it has to probably be predicated on getting competitive,” Bultman said.
He also questioned whether that goal can be achieved quickly, mentioning, “I wonder if a new GM just looks at that and says, ‘Is that really realistic?’”
The Red Wings finished 41-31-10 last season and missed the playoffs for a tenth straight year. Meanwhile, rivals across the Eastern Conference have continued to strengthen, making Detroit’s path even more difficult.
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So, Bultman’s comments reflect the reality facing the organization. Larkin is under contract through 2030-31 and controls his future with a full no-trade clause. Unless the next general manager presents a credible plan to build a playoff contender, convincing the captain to remain in Detroit may prove just as difficult as finding a trade that satisfies both sides.
