NHL Rumor Mill – June 6, 2026
The latest speculation on potential trade destinations for Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, an update on Blues center Robert Thomas, and the Ducks’ offseason wish list in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
WHICH CLUBS COULD BE SUITORS FOR DYLAN LARKIN?
THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun believes it would be a mistake to underestimate Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman’s ability to get a solid return to Dylan Larkin after the latter requested a trade.
Yzerman faced similar circumstances before. As GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014, Yzerman got a good return for winger Martin St. Louis after he requested a trade to the New York Rangers. Three years later, he met winger Jonathan Drouin’s trade request by shipping him to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (NHL Images).
LeBrun indicated that Yzerman has received a short list of preferred trade destinations from the Larkin camp. However, he speculated that list could change or grow. LeBrun also thinks it’s not to either side’s advantage to play hardball in this situation, but should instead try to avoid this dragging out throughout the summer and into next season.
According to LeBrun, between 12 and 15 clubs could inquire about Larkin. Obvious potential fits include the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, and Montreal Canadiens. The Kings need a replacement for retired captain Anze Kopitar, the Wild seek an established first-line center, and the Canadiens need a second-line center.
LeBrun wondered if the Dallas Stars would be a suitor if they fail to re-sign winger Jason Robertson. He also sees the Boston Bruins as a potential fit.
Meanwhile, Max Bultman wondered where the Detroit Red Wings go from here after team captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade this week.
Larkin’s request complicates the Red Wings’ offseason plans. They must now add a top-line center to their existing needs of a top-line left wing, a second-line center, bottom-six scoring, and toughness.
Bultman wondered if trading Larkin would force the Red Wings to retool their roster around their young core of talent rather than push for the playoffs next season. He also pondered the future of winger Alex DeBrincat, who turns 29 in December and is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility.
PIONEER PRESS: Dan Mitzutani believes the Minnesota Wild should pursue a trade for Larkin to address their need for a first-line center. He believes the Red Wings will seek a substantial return, suggesting it could cost the Wild a couple of prospects along with a haul of draft picks.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild beat writers Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic also believe GM Bill Guerin will look into acquiring Larkin. They believe Guerin won’t be afraid to part with young center Danila Yurov or prospects Charlie Stramel, Hunter Haight, or Adam Benak. However, the sticking point could be which players the Red Wings would want from the Wild’s roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Much will depend on how many teams are on Larkin’s list of destinations. If it remains a short list, and if the Wild are on it, that could work in their favor when it comes to the return. The more teams on that list, the more the Wild might have to pay to outbid other clubs.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Karine Hains believes Larkin would be ideal for the Canadiens as their second-line center.
The Red Wings will seek a substantial return, which Hains believes the Canadiens are well-positioned to provide that. They have the prospects, roster players, draft picks, and salary-cap space to pull it off.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wings will almost certainly ask for center Michael Hage, the Canadiens’ top prospect. Defenseman David Reinbacher or winger Alexander Zharovsky could also be part of it. The Habs could also offer a young roster forward such as Oliver Kapanen or Zach Bolduc in the deal, but the Wings could seek someone more substantial, such as Ivan Demidov, which would be a deal-breaker for Montreal. It would also cost the Canadiens their first-round pick in this year’s or next year’s draft.
THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa believes the Bruins should look into acquiring Larkin. However, he considers it unlikely that they’ll land him.
One reason is Shinzawa doubts they have sufficient trade assets to outbid other clubs. He suggested a hypothetical offer of center Pavel Zacha, young defenseman Mason Lohrei, prospect center Dean Letourneau, and the 26th overall pick in this year’s draft.
Shinzawa doesn’t see that deal happening unless the Red Wings are permitted to speak with Zacha about a contract extension. Even then, it’s debatable that the return would improve the Wings.
THE ATHLETIC: Peter Baugh believes New York Rangers GM Chris Drury could look into acquiring Larkin. The addition of the Red Wings captain no longer makes the Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck the top center in the trade market, though the latter will still draw plenty of interest in the trade market.
Baugh wondered if the Red Wings would be interested in Trocheck if they trade Larkin and don’t get a top-six center in return. In that case, Drury’s asking price could be a young quality player such as Nate Danielson or Marco Kasper, a draft pick, or a combination of the two, as well as a center such as J.T. Compher to slot in behind Mika Zibanejad.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols suggests pursuing Larkin could be New Devils GM Sunny Mehta’s first chance to make his first big splash.
However, the Devils already have Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes as their top two centers. A swap of Hischier for Larkin doesn’t work because it seems that the former’s contract extension talks are likely to find a resolution.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring the unforeseen, I expect Hischier will sign an extension, meaning the Devils do not need to pursue Larkin.
PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes it’ll cost the Penguins one or two first-round picks, a prospect, and an NHL player for Larkin, though the asking price could be even higher. Promising Ben Kindel would likely have to be part of the deal.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Larkin likely wants to join a contender, which the Penguins currently aren’t despite exceeding expectations this season by making the playoffs. It’s doubtful they’re among his list of trade destinations.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards isn’t ruling out the possibility of the Panthers acquiring Larkin, pointing to GM Bill Zito’s history of making big moves in the trade market.
An offer from the Panthers would have to include their 2026 first-round pick, which is ninth overall. The cost of acquiring Larkin could also include center Anton Lundell, perhaps forward Mackie Samoskevich, and/or Sandis Vilmanis and more.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers are already deep at center with Aleksander Barkov, Lundell, and the versatile Sam Bennett. Larkin might not be a fit here.
THE ATHLETIC: Jonas Siegel believes the Toronto Maple Leafs should be bidders for Larkin if they can afford it. They only have one sure thing at center, and that’s Auston Matthews, assuming he returns with the Leafs next season.
Siegel doesn’t believe the Leafs would put the first-overall pick on the table, but winger Matthew Knies might be. However, if Leafs GM John Chayka were to move Knies, Siegel believes he would lean toward a top defenseman over Larkin. He also doesn’t think the Wings would be excited by an offer of Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, and Colorado’s first-round pick (27th overall) in this year’s draft.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Like the Wild, if the Maple Leafs are on a short list of Larkin’s trade destinations, the less they might have to pay to get him. If that list is larger, the more they’ll have to pay, and they might not be able to outbid other teams.
ROBERT THOMAS OFF THE TRADE BLOCK?
FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK’s Andy Strickland claims the Robert Thomas trade rumors can be put to rest. He claimed the St. Louis Blues are not shopping their first-line center, and expects Thomas will be on their roster when training camp opens in September.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Thomas was a fixture in the rumor mill before the March trade deadline, and has frequently surfaced as an offseason trade candidate.
However, I’d grown skeptical in recent weeks that Thomas was ever available in the first place. Since the trade deadline, he stated he was never approached about waiving his no-trade clause, adding he wants to remain with the Blues. GM Doug Armstrong said he was never actively shopping Thomas, explaining that he based his high asking price on how much he valued him.
The real clincher was reading a report last month claiming the Blues rejected an offer from the Wild that included promising goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and young center Danila Yurov. That told me they were never serious about moving Thomas.
THE LATEST ON THE DUCKS
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Patrick Present recently looked at what he believes will be the Anaheim Ducks’ offseason shopping list.
A right-shot defenseman tops that list, along with a second-line center, and a top-nine winger.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Present didn’t speculate as to which players the Ducks might target to address those issues. Nevertheless, they could be worth monitoring in this summer’s trade market. They have plenty of young players and promising prospects to draw on for trade bait.
In his Ottawa Sun column this morning, Callum Fraser reports that Senators’ owner Michael Andlauer, speaking publicly for the first time since his team was swept by the Hurricanes in Round 1 of the playoffs, “anticipates (a) hot NHL trade market this summer.” He also provides an update on plans for the LeBreton Flats downtown arena and interim changes to the current CTC Arena.
https://ottawasun.com/ottawa-senators/senators-owner-michael-andlauer-trade-market
Love his quote, ‘whatever it takes to win..’ That’s such a huge change from the last years of Melnik.
I’m out in Victoria now, so I won’t really be benefitting of a new arena, but I think the team would explode if they could figure out the LeBron Flats project.
Minnesota seems the most logical landing spot for Larkin. Would think maybe Ericsson Ek goes the other way to help cap work. If not, maybe he goes to one of the other teams mentioned looking for a 2C, and brings back assets Detroit would want.
Always felt Trochek was a possibility to Detroit. Would Yzerman take him as part of a package for Larkin?
If a 32 year old Trocheck is anything but a throw in for Larkin, Yzerman would need to ask to be removed from the HHOF. Larkin is a mid level first line center but there are so many teams that need a player like that the bidding should be pretty fierce.
I rarely post but, yeah the Wild become a contender and maybe the Kings try to get Larkin.
Kyle I think nk this is supposed to read, “Three years later, he met winger Jonathan Drouin’s trade request by shipping him to the Montreal Canadiens for a player to be named later (Bill Collins)
My 7th mock up draft is up.
Mn Wild
Trade Spurgon for draft pick
Trade Gus for a 1st & 2nd pick
Sign Anders Lee
Sign P Laine (discount)
Sign McCarron & N Foligno
Resign young players they have
Lots of cap space left
Minnesota is the team that could use Larkin the most but they don’t have enough to offer, here’s one possibility:
To Minnesota- Larkin, Cossa
To Detroit- Yurov, Brodin, Gustavsson
Detroit gets a real goaltender to replace UFA Talbot till one of the kids replace Gibson.
Brodin is a solid veteran D that they need
Yurov is almost untouchable in Minnesota
Minnesota gets their C and will run the table with Wallstedt, sign a Skinner to back up for eg
What do Wing fans think
I’m not a wings fan, but I would probably for that. RW would probably hope that there’s other bidders out there to keep the value high. Only thing is it leaves RW with no 1C. Not sure Yurov will ever get to that level. Maybe Yzerman wants a high draft pick if he doesn’t get a needle mover back.
Shinzawa‘s offering is too much if that is what would be required for bruins. They would do better and walk away
If maybe 1st Middlestadt Lorhei. And Ahl prospect like Lysell
I say pull the trigger
It was reported today on Sportsnet that the Knies to the Habs trade fell short of the deadline for submission by one minute. In the return, supposedly, was Zharovski, an unnamed prospect and two first rounders.
Above, Lyle reports that Wallstede and young center Yurov were offered for Thomas.
The debate about the value of Hage and Zharovski is getting stale, but going by these reports there is no way that Larkin is going to the Habs for both, let alone ++. These examples give an indication about players and prospects are valued in the real world of NHL GMs as opposed to us scribblers.
If you are tempted to say the offers above are just rumours, consider what the Canucks got for Hughes, one of the best D in the game.
Yes, Larkin would immediately juice the Habs second line, but emptying the cupboard of prime prospects would be counter productive to long term competitiveness. The Habs need a few more pieces, and won’t want to place themselves in the position of emptying their trade assets for one position alone.
Look at the pickle teams like the Bruins and the Leafs are in, prospect poor and with little to offer in trades, and consider why the Leafs would apparently have been willing to take one prime prospect and two first rounders for Knies. It would have left the Habs with two of their three prime prospects.
LJ
Bruins prospect pool is middle of pack now. Sweeney did great job restocking it last years deadline
MrBruin4: Ok, I am aware they have Hagen, but their overall pool is ranked as #19 by the Athletic. Do you think they have enough to swing a deal for Larkin? Is Hagen ready to play this coming year for Detroit?
Lj
Bruins ain’t trading Hagens. If the ask from bruins would be anything like what Futo wrote it is a hard pass
Right, Mrbruin4. You feel about Hagens like the Hab fans feel about Hage.
Hughes had one year left on his contract though and there was no extension. There is also massive rumours of him wanting to join his brothers. Larkin has 5 years of cost control. What would you pay for 1.5 years of a player? That is where the difference lies.
Owen, yes which is why it is impossible for Guerin to have not talked to Hughes about it before making the trade. Hughes for two seasons, this past one and next, would not be worth the trade were Guerin not confident he had an honest shot at resigning him.
We get so many “his brother is on the team” (I am aware of 6 sets of brothers in the NHL, only the two Hughes play together and they were drafted) or “it’s his (or his wife’s) hometown …” as reasons why players want to move. Player movement is a lot more complicated than that.
Is it worth it to any of the top 5 draft pick holders to offer that pick for Larkin? He probably wouldn’t waive for Vancouver … but any of the other 4?
Would that alone be sufficient or would it also take other assets?
Of the top 5 only the Sharks can really be seen as on the rise. Given that Larkin wants to play for a contender, why would he want to go to the other 4? Or any of the bottom 16 for that matter?
Would make sense for Chicago IMHO
If the main reason why Larkin wants out of Detroit is really that he wants to be in a winning environment with the chance to win the cup in the next few years while in his prime, that puts the Rangers, the Leafs, the Devils (unless this past season was a fluke), the Penguins, the Kings, and maybe even the Bruins out of the equation, with only the Habs and the Wild as the only teams for which he would accept to forgo his no trade clause.