Bob Duff: Dylan Larkin’s trade desire appears to persist even after the Red Wings’ leadership change

Dylan Larkin’s trade situation remains a live storyline for the Detroit Red Wings, and longtime beat reporter Bob Duff believes the underlying motivation has not changed even with new leadership in the organization. Duff, speaking on NHL Tonight, framed the decision-making as more than a reaction to a personnel shift, suggesting that the captain’s desire to depart Detroit continues to shape how talks are expected to play out in the coming weeks.

In Duff’s account, “fresh leadership” has not swayed Larkin away from the idea of leaving the Red Wings. The thrust of the discussion was not simply that a trade could happen, but that the driver behind the captain’s preference appears to still be present as the season nears. That matters for Detroit because a team’s leverage in negotiations often depends on what the player truly wants, not just what the calendar demands.

Duff also described Minnesota as Larkin’s preferred destination. According to the discussion highlighted in the Yahoo Sports report, the Wild are presented as the landing spot that Larkin would favor if Detroit ultimately moves him. For Detroit, that kind of “preference” can affect how trades are structured, how quickly they progress, and what the Red Wings would need to see in return to satisfy both the business side and the human side.

The report characterizes Duff’s view as a belief held despite a change in Detroit’s upper-management structure. That framing is important because it suggests the story is not solely about who sits in the general manager’s chair, but about where Larkin’s focus has been directed. In practical terms, the Red Wings may still be planning for multiple contingencies, including the possibility that negotiations remain difficult until a package meets Detroit’s standards.

With training camp approaching, the timing adds pressure to the trading market even if nothing is concluded immediately. Teams that anticipate a trade involving a franchise center often adjust roster planning, contract planning, and the way they distribute opportunities during camp. Duff’s comments, as summarized by Yahoo Sports, indicate that Detroit’s internal process should not assume that leadership turnover alone will resolve Larkin’s intentions.

Still, Duff’s assessment is not a confirmation of any transaction. The public record around trade requests and preferences can evolve quickly, and preferences can change if circumstances do. Until the Red Wings and Minnesota reach an agreement, or until Detroit publicly updates the situation in a more definitive way, the conversation will remain anchored in what Duff described as Larkin’s ongoing desire rather than a completed outcome.

From here, the key things to watch are whether Detroit’s front office is able to translate that desire into a deal that it views as worthwhile, and whether Minnesota’s interest is strong enough to meet Detroit’s valuation. Even if the Wild remain the preferred destination described in Duff’s discussion, trades require matching interests on both sides, and Detroit’s need for a robust return will likely define how long the process lasts.

If a trade does not happen before camp begins, Detroit will still need to manage the storyline inside the building while keeping competitive expectations intact. Duff’s comments, as reported, underline why the situation has staying power: the reporter believes the captain’s motivations are steady, even as the organization changes around him.