Ladies and gentlemen, the news is out. The Detroit Red Wings have suspended Vegas Golden Knights trade target Dylan Larkin. No pay. It finally happened.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 29, 2026
Now, you have a Connor Hellebuyck-esque situation where the team of the disgruntled player is holding firm on leaving town. Now, they must work out a deal to send their superstar out of town. Otherwise, he won't be a happy camper.
That swings the door wide open for the Golden Knights to potentially swing a deal for the Olympic gold medalist. Vegas is always looking to upgrade on the player front. They want a Stanley Cup-winning team that can dominate the NHL for years to come.
The latest bombshell news puts Vegas at the forefront of trade discussions... once again. C'mon, you knew that this would happen at some point. You expect this thing when you're an attractive hockey destination, after all.
So, is there a compelling case for the Golden Knights to go after everyone's favorite trade target? Or has the ship sailed on a potential deal with Larkin? It's time to explore the pros and cons of acquiring Jack Eichel's Olympic buddy.
The case against the Golden Knights going after Larkin
Let me propose a question for you, dear reader. Would you dare trade Trevor Connelly in a potential package for Larkin? Mind you, he won't be the only player going to the Motor City. Potential names like Nic Dowd and Adin Hill could be on the trade block, along with potential draft picks and prospects.
That's the question that Vegas faces as they try a balancing act on the present and the future. Connelly has shown his worth to start the season, scoring four goals and five assists in 14 games. Suddenly, people are mentioning the former first-round pick's name in the Calder Trophy discussion, leaving fans to wonder if trading him is worth it.
Granted, that hasn't stopped general manager Kelly McCrimmon from dealing wingers like Pavel Dorofeyev. But Connelly's uprising should give pause to a potential deal, especially when the other pieces don't appeal to the Red Wings. Don't forget that his trade list has expanded to include teams like the New Jersey Devils.
The case for the Vegas Golden Knights going after Dylan Larkin
I'm scrolling through my fantasy football team on Wednesday night and I see two attractive names on the free agent market. First is Tyler Shough, who was dropped from a team with two other quarterbacks. The second? Tight end Sam LaPorta.
Mind you, I already have Brock Bowers on my team. But it doesn't hurt to have two Top 10 tight ends on my team. Just put them in the flex spot and watch the magic happen, right? Maybe you can trade one of them. That's the case for the Golden Knights with having Larkin on the team.
You get even deeper down the middle and have another power play option in play. Larkin is well-versed in attacking and finding the open man, which benefits Vegas in many ways. Considering that the Golden Knights have shifted towards an "everyone gets a goal" philosophy, the Olympic gold medalist will fit right in.
The current Larkin situation will be interesting in the upcoming weeks. Numerous big-time teams will be in on Jack Eichel's Olympic buddy, hoping to boost their teams down the middle. After McCrimmon couldn't do anything about acquiring Connor Hellebuyck, perhaps a little Larkin action will help the team?
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