James Nichols
The Dylan Larkin trade pipebomb has everyone trying to connect dots on his next destination. While a lot of the chatter links him to teams with obvious center shortages, the New Jersey Devils keep surfacing as a dark horse possibility.
For General Manager Sunny Mehta, this could represent a chance to make his first big splash.
He’s on the record stating he thinks New Jersey is precipice of breaking through as a perennial contender. Adding a player of Larkin’s caliber will certainly inject some veteran grit into a talented but inconsistent roster that’s fallen short of expectations, and he’s the kind of add GMs make when they believe they have a chance to win.
Fitting a player like Larkin into New Jersey’s lineup isn’t automatic, though.
The Devils already have Jack Hughes and captain Nico Hischier down the middle.
A straight Hischier-for-Larkin swap doesn’t add up right now. Hischier remains a key part of the core, and reports suggest extension discussions are likely to find a resolution.
Unless Mehta later learns that Hischier won’t re-sign in New Jersey (which looks doubtful), moving him for Larkin makes little sense as a younger, more talented player.
Yet, the Devils can still land Larkin without the value of a player like Hischier. After all, Larkin’s full no-trade clause gives him the power to choose his next destination, leaving the Detroit Red Wings with limited leverage.
But acquiring Larkin only makes sense on one condition.
His buddy, Jack Hughes, would need to agree to move to the wing. That’s no short-term suggestion with fiveyears remaining on Larkin’s contract, and changes everything about the Devils’ dynamic moving forward.
If Hughes is open to the move, the Devils could roll a dangerous trio with Larkin at center, Hughes on a wing, and Jesper Bratt.
Certainly, the opportunity to play with Jack again after claiming gold in the 2026 Winter Olympics with Team USA is an enticing idea for Larkin. Add the ability to play between to elite players in Jack and Bratt, and there’s little doubt Larkin could see the best success of his career.
Larkin brings proven two-way play, is a clear upgrade in the faceoff dot with a career 52.8 FOW%, and has scored 30 or more goals in each of the last five seasons.
And guess what, Larkin is 6-foot-1, 204 pounds, making the Devils much bigger down the middle.
Hughes hasn’t had a running-mate on his line like that in some time, and could still dominate with his speed and creativity in a slightly adjusted role, while Bratt’s skill and pace round out a line built for speed and scoring chances.
Hughes has played wing in the past, and while his friendship with Larkin might help sell the idea, the bigger picture is Mehta using this to upgrade the team’s overall competitiveness.
After another frustrating season, a move like this would show the front office is serious about pushing the Devils into true contention.
Devils Trade Cost
Detroit won’t make moving their longtime captain cheap. Steve Yzerman is no pushover.
He’s in a tough spot, however. So, he’ll need to be realistic and take the best return possible.
There’s a few things to consider. The Red Wings are loaded on the right-side of their blueline. That doesn’t necessarily bode well for the Devils, who have assets to spare at that position.
Yet, if the Red Wings value either Simon Nemec or Dougie Hamilton over one of their current blueliners, perhaps Yzerman plays ball.
Dawson Mercer is another player that should at least make Yzerman think. He’s a versatile two-way forward who makes Detroit younger, can plug into their top-six, and even serve as a center replacement.
And with a few veteran wingers in Detroit seeing their deals expire, perhaps a young up-and-comer like Lenni Hameenaho is enticing to—again—make the Red Wings younger.
Mehta can mix and match the trade packagae as he sees fit. However, given the control Larkin has in this situation, it may not cost New Jersey as much as initially believed in a potential Devils trade.
Does Hamilton—if he wants to be moved—and a first round pick get it done? Or perhaps swap Hamilton with Mercer and Yzerman pulls the trigger.
Maybe the Red Wings, prefer NHL-ready talent and take Mercer and Hameenaho with a pick in the upcoming draft. Possibly another prospect or mid-round selection to balance things out.
Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit for the remainder of his contract is solid value. However, that’s a lot of money for a team that only has $10,902,500 in cap space this summer.
Therefore, Mehta will need to find a way to clear some cap space. Hamitlon is the easiest solution in terms of cap hit if you can move his $9 million AAV. Otherwise, Mercer also helps in a potential deal, making $4 million in the final year of his bridge deal.
And if it is Nemec, Mehta won’t have to worry about his extension and what it might cost against the cap. But that doesn’t free up spending money.
Regardless, New Jersey will still have to find the cap room, and it might come at the cost of their depth.
The Devils also have other priorities right now, like finalizing Hischier and Arseny Gritsyuk extension. But if Mehta sees Larkin as the veteran piece that elevates the group, and Hughes buys into the positional shift, it could be a game-changing addition.
And here’s something to consider. Seeing as Larkin is a close friend of the Hughes family, how much impact does Larkin in New Jersey have on Quinn Hughes potentially remaining in Minnesota?
Now THAT changes everything. Boy, this could be fun.
