Dylan Larkin wouldn't necessarily fill a need for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but if a recently proposed trade is all it would cost to land him, then it'd be a no brainer deal. General manager Julien BriseBois has his hands full this offseason already. He's navigating a possible extension for defenseman Darren Raddysh, while also weighing Nikita Kucherov's future, as he's eligible to extend his deal on July 1.
Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would likely love to have Tampa's problems, though, what with his longtime captain suddenly requesting a trade out of the Motor City. Larkin reportedly will only accept a trade to three teams right now, but the Florida Panthers are on that list.
It isn't outside the realm of possibility that Yzerman approaches Larkin and asks whether or not he'd be willing to head to Tampa instead. The Lightning don't have the same recent run of success as the Panthers, but Larkin would push Tampa Bay's Stanley Cup window all the way back open.
The cost could prove prohibitive, but not if this recently proposed trade is close to what BriseBois would need to move to land a high-end center.
Breaking down a possible trade package from the Lightning for Dylan Larkin
It stands to reason that Yzerman and the Red Wings don't have much of an appetite for a full-scale rebuild. Even getting set back another season or two would likely drive an already irritated fanbase over the edge in Detroit.
As such, they are likely looking for NHL-ready or near NHL-ready talent in exchange for Larkin. That is what makes this proposed trade from The Athletic so intriguing. Max Bultman (TA's Red Wings beat writer) and Corey Pronman recently examined six potential returns for Larkin, and the Lightning landed on their list.
Their proposed deal? Conor Geekie and Sam O’Reilly to the Red Wings for their captain. "This may be one of the most intriguing offers for the Red Wings," reasons Pronman. "Neither O’Reilly nor Geekie is a premier prospect, but both are very good young players who project as middle-six centers."
BriseBois likely has an eye toward building the next great Lightning team around players like O'Reilly and Geekie, but if he can inject a player like Larkin into the current lineup at a cost like this, it has to be seriously considered.
All-In for Lightning, but that is just their style
As Pronman notes, this would be an all-in move for Tampa. With an aging core, and probably only another few legit cracks at the Stanley Cup, it might make sense. Oddly, this kind of deal would be a litmus test, of sorts, for just where BriseBois believes the Lightning are as an organization.
On the one hand, O'Reilly could push for a roster spot as soon as next season, and add more skill where Tampa actually needs it--in the bottom six. The same goes for Geekie, who has the size and strength all NHL teams crave come playoff time.
Larkin is elite now, though. Opposing teams would have a nightmare of a time trying to match lines against Anthony Cirelli, Brayden Point and Larkin. Tampa needs more skill in the lineup, and there might not be a higher-end player available right now than Larkin.
It would be all-in, for sure, but that has never stopped BriseBois and the Lightning before.
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