Bruins’ perfect trade offer for Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin after trade request

It has to be music to Don Sweeney’s ears. Word has filtered out of Detroit that Dylan Larkin, the best player on the Detroit Red Wings, wants out of Motown. Larkin has been a brilliant scorer for the Red Wings, netting 31 goals or more in five consecutive seasons. The Bruins general manager has to know that the Red Wings’ top center would be a true asset for his team.

After making the playoffs in his rookie season of 2015-16, Larkin and the Red Wings have missed the playoffs for the last nine seasons. There was incremental improvement in the last two seasons, but the Red Wings failed to get the job done when the money was on the table.

That’s enough losing and failing to make the playoffs for Larkin. He apparently wants Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman to trade him

While the news of Larkin’s trade desires have not been confirmed by his agent Pat Brisson, his general manager or himself, it is clear that the Bruins would clearly have an interest if Yzerman is prepared to trade Larkin away after 10 seasons in Detroit.

Bruins have a clear need for a top of the line center like Larkin

When the Bruins were an elite team in the NHL, they had two of the best centers in the league in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Those two stars retired after the 2022-23 season and the Bruins have not replaced them adequately.

The Bruins are coming off a surprising season as they made the playoffs in 2025-26 a year after finishing in last place in the Atlantic Division. First-year head coach Marco Sturm had helped the Bruins have a competitive year and they earned a spot as a Wild Card team in the Eastern Conference.

The Bruins had totaled 100 points with a 45-27-10 record, but they didn’t have the kind of depth at the center position that would allow them to be true contenders. The Bruins fell to the Buffalo Sabres in six games during the opening round of the playoffs.

Pavel Zacha has been excellent on the top line, but Elias Lindholm had failed to live up to his contract during his two seasons with the Bruins. Replacing Lindholm with Larkin would be a significant upgrade. Larkin has five years remaining on his contract that carries a cap hit of $8.7 million per season.

There is very little thought that Lindholm could be an adequate replacement for Larkin in Detroit, but the Bruins could make a deal that benefits both teams. If the Red Wings wanted to take Lindholm as part of a trade package, Sweeney would surely include him, but it is unlikely that would happen unless the Bruins are willing to eat a heavy portion of Lindholm’s $7.75 million salary in the upcoming season.

Lindholm is under contract for the next five seasons, and that contract is likely to serve as a stop sign for any Boston trade partner. The Bruins may have to make a painful decision with regards to Lindholm’s future very shortly.

Bruins can offer significant package for Larkin

The Bruins have two young assets they can offer for Larkin. They could package defenseman Mason Lohrei and center Matthew Poitras along with a future draft pick for Larkin. The Bruins own Toronto’s first-round pick in 2028, and that could be the selection that goes to Detroit.

Lohrei has been with the Bruins since the 2023-24 season when the team promoted the former Ohio State defenseman from their Providence minor league affiliate. The 6-5, 218-pound Lohrei has excellent offensive instincts and he has shown he can contribute on the offensive end. Lohrei scored a career-best seven goals last season and he added 19 assists.

However, Lohrei has not distinguished himself on defense. Despite his size, he regularly gets outmuscled when he has to battle for the puck in the corners.

Lohrei’s size may work against him because he rarely has the leverage to win the battle against more compact players. However, Lohrei finished last season with a plus-17 rating for the Bruins, a year after suffering through a minus-43 season. That has to demonstrate that Lohrei is moving in the right direction.

In addition to Lohrei, the Bruins can offer center Matthew Poitras as part of the package to acquire Larkin. Poitras has been on the verge of becoming a regular in the Bruins lineup since the 2023-24 season.

He made the Bruins roster as a 19-year-old that season and played in 33 games before a shoulder injury sidelined him after scoring five goals and 10 assists. He also played 33 games in 2024-25, but he basically spent the entire 2025-26 season in Providence.

Poitras score 13 goals and 31 assists for the P-Bruins, and he has the speed and quickness to serve as an offensive asset in the NHL. The 6-0, 189-pound Poitras has added bulk and strength in recent years, and he appears to be ready to play at the next level.

A trade package that includes Lohrei, Poitras and a high draft pick could entice Yzerman to trade Larkin to the Bruins.

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