Red Wings Have a Hidden Advantage in Dylan Larkin’s Contract

The Hockey Writers argues that the Detroit Red Wings hold a hidden trade advantage because Dylan Larkin's contract was heavily front-loaded. Detroit has already paid $31 million across the first three seasons of Larkin's eight-year, $69.6 million deal. Consequently, any acquiring team would pay roughly $4.9 million less in real salary over the final five seasons than his $8.7 million average annual salary cap hit reflects.

The writer notes that this cash-to-cap discount provides leverage for interim general manager Shawn Horcoff to demand high-quality, NHL-ready assets. While Larkin's 10-team trade list and the full $8.7 million cap charge remain obstacles, Detroit is positioned to wait for an ideal package, especially as Larkin continues to lose over $41,000 per day during his ongoing suspension.