One ESPN analyst claims to have some insight on the biggest story surrounding the Detroit Red Wings.
In an episode of the Frankly Hockey podcast featuring NHL analysts John Buccigross and Frank Seravalli published on Friday, Oct. 16, Buccigross said he had information that indicated the Red Wings will soon be making a blockbuster deal.
"I think there's going to be a trade within seven to 10 days in Detroit," he said.
Seravalli then asked Buccigross to confirm that he was talking about disgruntled star Dylan Larkin, to which Buccigross said yes, "that's coming."
Larkin's trade request became public knowledge on June 4, with the native Michigander having played a big role on the Red Wings since his rookie season in 2015-16. About a month after the news
broke, the Red Wings parted ways with longtime general manager Steve Yzerman and named Shawn Horcoff the interim GM on Sept. 15.
Horcoff has stated he has no intention of starting a rebuild, which means any trade for Larkin would likely come with a player of Larkin's caliber in return instead of prospects and draft picks. Larkin is also under contract with the team until the end of the 2030-31 season and the Red Wings are under no obligation to trade him, but many NHL analysts see his $8.7 million average annual value for the next four-plus seasons as a great value, something the Wings could leverage in trade discussions.
Per Buccigross, that stalemate will come to an end soon. But even with the season having already started, the Red Wings still have a few issues to catch up on beyond Larkin's request.
Simon Edvinsson trade rumors
No major updates have emerged regarding Edvinsson, a top-pair defender, over the last few days. The fifth-year player has been in a contract stalemate with the Red Wings and has not played in an NHL game yet this season, spending time in his native Sweden before returning to North America (outside of Detroit) to continue training.
Because Edvinsson, 23, is a restricted free agent, the Red Wings either need to trade him or sign him to a deal before Dec. 1 to keep him eligible to play in the NHL this season. But Horcoff on Wednesday said he has "zero interest" in trading Edvinsson.
"Simon is a player that we're working very, very diligently to sign," Horcoff said. "I think we're open to anything. The details of it we'll still keep to ourselves. But when you're trying to sign a player, you have to be open-minded to all options, and we certainly are."
Edvinsson is scheduled to make $894,167 this season per Spotrac and could see an extension with an AAV north of current Red Wings defender Mortiz Seider's $8.55 million AAV. In Thursday's episode of Frankly Hockey, Buccigross guessed Edvinsson would eventually sign a deal worth a $10 million AAV.
"I know every situation is different, but my guess is seven [years] times 10 [million]. I don't know why that wouldn't get done," Buccigross said. "[Edvinsson] is off to a good start [in his career], and I don't know why he wouldn't take that. I don't know why [Detroit] wouldn't offer it."
Right signing, wrong order?
Several hockey analysts have applauded the Red Wings' signing of forward Alex DeBrincat, whose extension Wednesday comes in at seven years and $91 million.
Seravalli, however, was critical of the signing – not because he he thinks DeBrincat isn't worth the money, but because the Red Wings may have attacked their problems in the wrong order with neither the Larkin nor Edvisson situation resolved.
"The DeBrincat signing does not, at least at this juncture, indicate that they are closer to getting a deal done [for Edvinsson] today than they were yesterday," Seravalli said. "If you take [Larkin and Edvinsson] out, what good is Alex DeBrincat locked up for $91 million on a team that isn't close and won't be close to competing? [Lucas] Raymond, Seider and DeBrincat alone aren't enough to do it."
Seravalli said if both Larkin and Edvinsson end up traded, then an un-extended DeBrincat would have been worth more as a potential trade piece than as a member of the Red Wings.
"In my view, it's Edvinsson first, then manage the Larkin trade and then see where your roster is at before deciding whether you want to commit massive term and dollars to a guy who turns 29 in December," Seravalli said.
The Red Wings are 3-3-2 through eight games and are currently tied for last with eight points in the Atlantic Division.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ESPN's John Buccigross: Red Wings will trade Dylan Larkin this week
