Yes, the Colorado Avalanche absolutely should inquire about Dylan Larkin.
The disgruntled centerman reportedly requested a trade out of Detroit, a move that would end a 12-year stint with his hometown team. Larkin, 29, was drafted by the Red Wings in 2014 out of the U.S. National Team Development Program. He later starred at Michigan before making his NHL debut.
He’s a Michigander through and through. And now, after Detroit’s playoff drought reached 10 years with no clear end in sight, he reportedly wants out.
Larkin wants to play for a contender. He wants to play meaningful hockey in the postseason. The Avalanche can offer both.
For years, Joe Sakic and Chris MacFarland have led one of the NHL’s most aggressive front offices. Even with MacFarland no longer serving as general manager, that mentality shouldn’t change. Sakic has made bold moves before, and this is exactly the type of situation that warrants another.
The Avalanche have most of next season’s roster in place and don’t have a surplus of trade assets. But counting out this front office has rarely been a wise bet.
Would acquiring Larkin require moving Brock Nelson, either to Detroit or elsewhere, to create cap flexibility and recoup assets? Possibly. Would it mean parting with a younger center such as Jack Drury or even Nic Roy, who carries a team-friendly $3 million cap hit? Maybe.
Anything and everything — within reason — should be on the table if Sakic can make the numbers work.
The reality, however, is that Colorado would likely be far down the list of teams capable of presenting Detroit with the best offer. The Avalanche have little future capital remaining after trading away their next three first-round picks, and their prospect pool lacks high-end trade chips. Aside from Drury, they don’t have many attractive assets under 30 years old.
In fact, Colorado might not even crack the top 10 among teams with legitimate offers.
Because of that, landing Larkin is probably a long shot.
There’s also the possibility that Larkin would prefer to join one of his Team USA teammates elsewhere. Several contenders could offer that opportunity before Colorado, with Minnesota likely near the top of the list.
In fact, the only American teammate from the 2026 Olympic roster currently on the Avalanche is Nelson — the very player Colorado might have to move to make a deal work.
One factor working in the Avalanche’s favor is the small anchor icon next to Larkin’s name on PuckPedia. Larkin carries a full no-trade clause for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons and earns $8.7 million annually against the salary cap through 2030-31. More importantly, he controls where he goes this summer.
If Larkin views Colorado as an ideal fit, and if the Avalanche can find a package that interests Detroit, pursuing him is a no-brainer.
The 29-year-old would provide exactly the type of jolt Colorado’s top six needs.
The post Avalanche Have Long Odds, But Dylan Larkin Is Worth the Call appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.
