Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has finalized a 10-team list of destinations he would accept a trade to, and one name on it has drawn more attention than the rest. The list, first reported by Pierre LeBrun on Tuesday, covers 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.
New Jersey is the one that raised eyebrows, and Elliotte Friedman spent part of his latest 32 Thoughts podcast on a theory about why it is there. The theory was not his own. He was relaying a question a listener had sent him: “Someone texted me, instead of going to Minnesota (Dylan Larkin), where Hughes is, what if he goes to New Jersey where Hughes is going to go?” Friedman also discussed the expanded list on NHL Now on Thursday.
Why Quinn Hughes Sits at the Center of It
The Hughes in that question is Quinn Hughes, who plays for the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota is also on Larkin’s list. Hughes keeps getting tied to New Jersey because his brothers Jack and Luke both play for the Devils.
If Larkin believes Hughes is headed to New Jersey, then listing the Devils over the Wild starts to look like a choice rather than a coincidence. Friedman did not say that is what is going on. He said the question was an interesting one to ask.
The Hellebuyck Trade Already Moved New Jersey
On Friday, goalie Connor Hellebuyck was traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Devils. Detroit Red Wings fans tracking the fallout can read the full breakdown of that deal here.
There is a Larkin connection there too. He and Hellebuyck were teammates on the United States roster at the 2026 Olympics in Milan Cortina. A Devils roster that just added a goalie of that level is a different sell to Detroit’s captain than it was a week ago.
Utah Is the Other Live Option on Dylan Larkin’s List
Utah is 7-4-0 with 14 points through 11 games this season. The Mammoth also reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season for the first time in franchise history, getting in as the Western Conference’s first wild card.
That matters for what Detroit could ask for. A team on the rise has young players and picks it may be willing to move, which is exactly the kind of return the Red Wings would want in a Larkin deal.