David Pagnotta says the Dylan Larkin situation still comes down to who blinks first, and Minnesota isn't moving.
The Red Wings are coming off a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Tuesday night, their fourth straight, and the Larkin saga keeps hanging over the building. Dylan Larkin's standoff with the Red Wings was reported Monday to be passing $500,000 in forfeited salary.
Pagnotta pushed the story forward today, and the part that stands out is that Detroit hasn't changed its view on where the best offers are likely to come from.
Pagnotta wrote that Detroit still believes some of the teams off Larkin's list provide the best return, and that he still thinks Minnesota is not budging.
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Read that carefully. The Red Wings aren't looking only at the teams Larkin would be happy with. They think the strongest packages could come from clubs outside his preferences, which makes this a negotiation with the player as well as the market.
The rest of the post is cut off at the point where it turns to Minnesota, so what the Wild have reportedly done is not something we can tell you here. What we do know is that Pagnotta sees no movement from them.
Larkin has played 10 games this season and has 6 points. His $8.7 million cap hit runs through 2030-31, so any team that lands him is taking on a long commitment for a 30-year-old center.
The Boston angle is still out there too. Pagnotta on the Bruins shopping Toronto's first-round pick pointed to Larkin as a natural fit in Boston.
Who has the leverage, Detroit or Minnesota?
Minnesota has the comfortable seat. The Wild are 13-3-4, second in the NHL and first in the Central Division, so they can afford to wait on any move.
Detroit is 7-9-3 and sits 25th in the league. A team with that record and a losing streak this long doesn't have unlimited time to hold out for the perfect package, and a standoff that drags on only hurts the Red Wings' return.
Holding out for teams off Larkin's list is a risky play. If those clubs sense Detroit's patience wearing thin, the price drops.
Both teams are back in action Thursday. The Red Wings visit Florida, while the Wild visit Toronto, and the next update can come at any time.
Quick hits
BUFFALO SABRES: Andrei Vasilevskiy looks like the Lightning's goalie tonight at KeyBank Center, according to EddieInTheYard, who watched the optional morning skate in Buffalo. That's a tough test for the Sabres.
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MONTREAL CANADIENS: Mike Matheson is travelling with the Canadiens to Boston, per HabsInHighHeels. A return Thursday looks possible, which would be a boost for the blue line.
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GOALIE MATCHUP: Mike Babcock confirmed this morning in Edmonton that Tristan Jarry starts for the Oilers tonight against the Flyers, according to Jack Michaels. Philadelphia knows who it's facing.
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EDMONTON OILERS: Ryan Rishaug just revealed that Matthew Savoie will play a few games in the minors, according to Babcock. Edmonton is making a development call on a young forward.
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NEW YORK RANGERS: Mollie Walker shared the Rangers' morning skate lines in Calgary, and Glenn Gawdin is already in at fourth-line center. It's a lineup choice worth watching tonight.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Red Wings take less than their asking price for Dylan Larkin to end the standoff?
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