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Since early June, when Dylan Larkin first requested a trade, the Minnesota Wild have been aggressively pursuing the Detroit Red Wings center. Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who knows Larkin from his time as GM of USA Hockey, views the 12-year veteran as the ideal top-line center the team has lacked.
However, no deal has materialized, and Larkin remains with Detroit. The primary obstacle is that Minnesota, after depleting its trade assets to acquire Quinn Hughes last December, lacks the pieces Detroit desires. The Wild's best realistic offer would likely include center Danila Yurov, forward prospect Charlie Stramel, another prospect such as David Spacek, and a 2027 first-round pick. While the exact offer Guerin has made is unknown, it clearly hasn't enticed the Red Wings.
Nine games into the new NHL season, a new factor has emerged in Minnesota's pursuit of Larkin: the impressive play of Yurov. The 22-year-old Russian is in his second season and appears to be breaking out as a core player for the Wild. In Sunday's 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Yurov scored for the third time in four games, tied a career high with four shots on goal, and won six of nine faceoffs. Overall, he has four goals and five points in nine games, winning 56.6% of his 76 draws while averaging 13:30 of ice time in a middle-six role and seeing time on the second power-play unit.
Though it's early, Yurov's four goals in nine games put him on a 37-goal pace over an 84-game season. He has impressed with his ability to win loose pucks and find open space to create passing opportunities for teammates. All four of his goals have come on one-timers. Comparing Yurov (16 career goals) to Larkin (277 career goals) involves significant projection, but Yurov is eight years younger and earns nearly $8 million less. If the Wild believe Yurov can sustain this scoring production, they may reconsider whether to keep their offer on the table.
Minnesota sits at 6-2-1, while Detroit is 3-3-2 and has received just one goal and three points from Larkin in six games. Some might argue the Wild don't need to make a change. However, there's a crucial counterpoint: Quinn Hughes. Hughes, who did not sign an extension with Minnesota before the season, is very close with Larkin, his former USA teammate and fellow Michigan native. If acquiring Larkin would convince Hughes to sign an extension, the move would almost certainly be worth it, even if it means parting with Yurov and three other assets. For now, the Wild will hope Yurov's breakout continues, as his performance can only help—whether he remains in Minnesota long-term or convinces the Red Wings to finally pull the trigger on a Larkin trade.
Originally reported by yahoo.