Dylan Larkin just sent a clear message to one of the teams at the top of the list: no Ducks for him

Dylan Larkin's camp is pumping the brakes on a potential deal to Anaheim, and the word out of Anaheim is that the Ducks still want him badly.

NHL insider Jimmy Murphy reported Wednesday that Larkin's side is lukewarm at best on approving a trade to the Ducks, with California's high tax burden cited as a likely factor.

This is Larkin's call. A no-trade clause means the Red Wings can't just ship him west without his blessing, no matter how clean the hockey fit looks on paper.

"Being told now that the Larkin camp is lukewarm at best on approving a trade to Anaheim.

Ducks would love Larkin but it's obviously his call.

Would imagine the high taxes in California are part of the reason."

- Jimmy Murphy

And on paper, the hockey fit isn't bad. Anaheim finished 43-33-6 this season, ranked third in the Pacific, sitting at 92 points.

The Ducks want a franchise center to build around. Larkin, 29, put up 34 goals, 33 assists and 67 points in 74 games this season.

He's also been producing at a high clip lately, posting 9 points in his last 5 games, including 4 goals and 2 power play goals.

The tax question that could sink this trade before it starts

California's state income tax tops out at 13.3 percent. For a player making $8.7 million against the cap, that gap compared to Michigan is real money, not a rounding error.

It's the kind of thing that quietly kills trades that look fine on the surface. Think of it like signing a lease on a beautiful apartment, then realizing what utilities actually cost in that building.

Larkin still has years left on a deal that carries a $8.7 million cap hit, giving Detroit real leverage in any negotiation, but only if he's willing to waive.

The Red Wings finished 41-31-10, ranked 16th overall. That's a team that didn't dominate, but wasn't embarrassed either.

Detroit went 1-1 against Anaheim this season, losing 2-5 on the road in October and winning 6-3 at home in November.

Losing Larkin without his buy-in would be a bad look for GM Steve Yzerman. Getting full trade value while the captain is dragging his feet is harder than it sounds.

The Ducks are interested. Larkin isn't convinced. That gap might not close this summer.