New York Rangers genreal manager Chris Drury had to be feeling great knowing that he had the top center available on the trade block this offseason in Vincent Trocheck. The decision to hold off on dealing Trocheck at the trade deadline appeared to pay off. But late last week, Drury watched as reports indicated that Dylan Larkin requested a trade off of the Detroit Red Wings.
As good as Trocheck is, Larkin is the better, younger player, which made him instantly more in demand. Thus, Trocheck's market appeared to have dipped. The thing is, no one knew where exactly Larkin would accept a trade to. Let's not forget, he had a full no-movement clause, so he has complete say on where he'd want to go. Given how good of a player he is, and how great he played in international competition these past two years, a ton of teams would be interested in his services.
But as it turns out, Larkin has severely limited his trade landing spots to just three teams.
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reported that Larkin has submitted just a three team trade list to the Red Wings, which include the Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Minnesota Wild as his preferred destinations.
Rangers' Vincent Trocheck trade market could benefit after Dylan Larkin submits just 3-team trade list
Talk about a report beneficial for the Rangers and Drury. First things first, yes, the Rangers aren't on Larkin's wishlist, which is a bummer for those fans hoping they could land the center. Now, pivoting away from that, given the incredibly limited options Larkin has provided for the Red Wings and their general manager Steve Yzerman, teams in need of a center could very well pivot to Trocheck in that case.
The Panthers, Golden Knights, and Wild are not necessarily shocking teams to be placed on his trade wishlist. All three teams have members of the gold medal-winning United States men's hockey team. The Panthers have Matthew Tkachuk, the Golden Knights have Jack Eichel, and the Wild have Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber, and general manager Bill Guerin. Not to mention, all three are Stanley Cup contenders, with the Golden Knights currently competing in the Final.
St. James does list three other teams that could be added to Larkin's trade destinations list if Yzerman does not like an offer that the Panthers, Golden Knights, or Wild make. Those teams are the New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning aren't much of a surprise, considering they are always in playoff contention. Larkin hasn't been to the playoffs since 2016. The Ducks are in a position to make a move to bolster their chances of winning a Stanley Cup, especially after they made it to the second round this season. The Islanders, meanwhile, are a bit of a surprise, considering they just missed out on the playoffs this season.
Again, those three teams are only if Yzerman requests Larkin expand his wishlist. Either way, this should help out Trocheck's market, as there are teams that aren't on Larkin's trade wishlist that need a top two center. Larkin unintentionally did the Ranger a favor by only limiting his options to three teams. That keeps the door open for Trocheck suitors who aren't Florida, Vegas, and Minnesota.
We'll see what transpires and who balks first between Larkin and Yzerman, but that could e a lengthy standoff. With that, Trocheck does become a more feasible option for those looking for a center.
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