Major Dylan Larkin trade update reveals obstacles involving eight potential destinations

Dylan Larkin's market looks thinner Sunday, with the Red Wings facing a report that three suitors have not engaged.

According to David Pagnotta of Hello Hockey, the Panthers, Golden Knights and Avalanche have not really engaged on the Detroit center. It lands right after Chris Johnston's report on limited interest in Larkin, and it doesn't help.

Pagnotta's understanding, as relayed by the RinkyReport account, is that those teams have no interest in making a move because they can't. The post doesn't spell out why.

Larkin is 30, a Waterford native and the 15th overall pick in 2014. He has 278 goals over 818 career games, and this season he sits at 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 games with a +3 rating.

Pagnotta also reported that the Capitals don't want to trade the Protas brothers, and the post cuts off while turning to the Stars.

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That matters because Detroit had been linked to both players. The Red Wings' interest in Aliaksei and Ilya Protas surfaced Thursday, and Washington's reported stance closes that door.

Aliaksei Protas, 25, has 1 goal and 4 assists in 12 games. His brother Ilya, 20, has the same line over the same number of games, with a -2 rating.

Wording matters here. Pagnotta framed it with "to my understanding," so this reads as a snapshot of the market, not a confirmed shutdown.

Why the Larkin price tag narrows Detroit's options

Larkin's cap hit is $8,700,000 and his contract runs through 2030-2031. That is a long and expensive commitment for any team to absorb, and it shrinks the pool of buyers before a single call is made.

Compare that with the Protas family. Aliaksei carries a $3,375,000 cap hit through 2028-2029, while Ilya is on an entry-level deal at $932,500 that runs to 2028-2029 and ends with RFA status.

Chasing two forwards Washington reportedly won't sell looks like a dead end for Detroit, and the Red Wings can't build a Larkin package around players who aren't available.

The Stars part of the post is unfinished, so that line is still open. Until it fills in, the Red Wings are left with Larkin's $8,700,000 on the books and a short list of teams that have actually engaged.

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