Expanded Dylan Larkin trade list provides Red Wings’ Shawn Horcoff his biggest challenge

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Former Detroit Red Wings captain Expanded Dylan Larkin trade list providesDylan Larkin requested a trade from the team in the summer. After 10 years without playoff hockey, Larkin had seemingly lost faith in the team’s rebuilding process. He wanted a fresh start, and more importantly, a chance to contend for a Stanley Cup.

His trade request is ongoing and unfulfilled to this point. Larkin is still with the Red Wings, providing value on the ice. For instance, he was the primary assist on Alex DeBrincat’s game-tying goal late in a loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.

However, that game is not the central story regarding Larkin at this time. The big news of the day is something Detroit fans have wanted to see happen for a while. The former captain has reportedly expanded his trade list to 10 teams, adding about six or seven teams to his previously short list.

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This is a massive development for the Red Wings. More specifically, interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has more room to work with. At the same time, though, he has his biggest challenge still ahead of him.

Expanded Dylan Larkin list doesn’t mean a trade is easy

The 10 teams that Larkin would accept a trade to are as follows: the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Utah Mammoth, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche. This was first reported by Helene St. James of The Detroit Free Press on Tuesday.

Some of these teams have been known for some time. Some of those same teams are also non-starters for the Red Wings. The Panthers, for instance, don’t have the assets needed to make this work. The Wild have some intriguing pieces, but still aren’t quite there in terms of value.

Part of the reason Larkin wasn’t traded before the season was due to the short list. Outside of the two mentioned teams, the Golden Knights and the Stars were also rumored to be in play. Dallas had the young talent to make it work, but weren’t willing to part with it to get him. Vegas is in a similar boat to Florida.

Having more teams to work with certainly gives Horcoff a better chance to make a deal that works for everyone. At the same time, this is a complicated situation. Having more teams to trade with doesn’t solve all of his problems.

There are certainly teams on here that stand out. The Hurricanes have a lot of young talent that could be intriguing. The Mammoth, Devils, and Capitals are also intriguing fits. Even the Lightning could work.

However, the incentive still lacks for many of these teams. Carolina just won the Stanley Cup and doesn’t need Larkin. Utah traded for Vincent Trocheck in the summer when it seemed Larkin wasn’t open to going there. New Jersey is pretty well situated at forward, as well.

There are many teams on this list with no real incentive to make this trade happen. Horcoff’s biggest challenge is finding a way to increase that incentive while Larkin’s value remains high. When he’s on his game, the former Red Wings captain is a bonafide No. 1 center.

The Red Wings are at a crossroads in more ways than one. Their problems stem far deeper than this situation with Larkin. And yet, this is still the most important trade for Detroit in maybe the last 20 years. Horcoff cannot afford to make a bad deal simply because he has the wiggle room to do so. The expanded trade list is only the first step for Larkin and the Red Wings.

Related: Alex DeBrincat’s 300th goal could not have come at a better time