Dylan Larkin trade rumors are picking up steam, and analyst JFresh says Detroit fans need to adjust their expectations fast.
JFresh said this week that Wings fans have to accept a 30-year-old demanding a trade with a tiny list won't bring back a Gauthier, Johnston or Boldy type in return.
Larkin, still 29, put up 67 points in 74 games this season for Detroit, including 34 goals and a plus-3 rating.
He's been red hot lately too, posting 11 points over his last 10 games as speculation around his future only grows louder.
Detroit finished 41-31-10 for 92 points this season, good for 16th overall, proof this isn't a team desperate enough to overpay.
JFresh laid out the reality bluntly in his post, calling out fans clinging to unrealistic comparisons before the market even opens.
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Why Carlsson's mega deal makes Anaheim a real fit for Larkin
Anaheim isn't confirmed on Larkin's list, but the pitch writes itself with Leo Carlsson already locked in as the long-term franchise center.
Carlsson just delivered 67 points in 70 games at only 21 years old, nearly a point per game in his breakout season.
The Ducks also matched a five-year, $90,000,000 offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers this month just to keep him off the market entirely.
Anaheim finished 43-33-6 for 92 points this season, 17th overall, right on the edge of a real playoff push with pieces already in place.
That leaves Larkin to slot in as the proven veteran center who makes life easier for a young core already featuring Cutter Gauthier's 69 points in 76 games.
Trading Gauthier for a 30-year-old rental-adjacent center would be a mistake for GM Pat Verbeek, no matter how good the fit looks on paper.
Detroit's actual price tag remains the real question. Nothing here suggests the Wings are getting anywhere close to a player like Gauthier back.
Should the Ducks really consider trading Cutter Gauthier for Dylan Larkin?
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