Tkachuk trade raises Larkin price tag and removes top suitor

Brady Tkachuk fetched the Nos. 9 and 25 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft plus a conditional 2029 first-rounder and a 2027 second-rounder from Florida, setting the new standard for a comparable Larkin deal.

Market value benchmark established

Max Bultman noted on the Fellowship of the Rink podcast that Larkin and Tkachuk posted comparable production over the prior four or five seasons. Larkin posted 78 points in 2024-25 while centering Detroit’s top line; Tkachuk recorded 76 points in 71 games the same season.

The two players differ in style. Larkin supplies top-line center play and carries an eight-year contract with six years remaining after 2025-26. Tkachuk supplies power-forward physicality on the wing with only two years left.

Red Wings fans immediately adopted the Ottawa return as both floor and ceiling. Detroit holds the leverage of Larkin’s longer term and positional scarcity.

Ottawa accepted three first-round assets and a second-rounder because Florida possessed the draft capital and cap space. The same math now applies to any Larkin suitor.

Florida exits bidding

Florida’s acquisition of Tkachuk on June 21 eliminated the Panthers from Larkin contention. The team surrendered its 2026 first-round selections and a protected 2029 first to complete the deal.

Larkin had included Florida on his initial three-team list alongside Vegas. The Panthers’ subsequent moves leave them without the draft ammunition required for a second blockbuster.

Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman therefore lost one of the few organizations with both the assets and the willingness to absorb a $8.7 million cap hit.

Remaining candidates must now replicate or surpass the Tkachuk package. Minnesota, Dallas and Tampa each hold multiple first-round selections in the next three drafts, yet none matches Florida’s recent Stanley Cup pedigree.

Narrowed suitor list shapes negotiations

Minnesota emerges as the clearest fit. The Wild have pursued Larkin since his trade request surfaced in early June and retain three first-round picks through 2028.

Dallas could pivot if it resolves the Jason Robertson situation first. The Stars own the Nos. 8 and 18 selections in 2026 and have signaled interest in adding a proven center.

Vegas and Tampa retain theoretical interest but face steeper obstacles. The Golden Knights lack first-round capital until 2028; the Lightning must navigate their own cap constraints after recent extensions.

Yzerman has signaled patience. He will not accept a package below the Tkachuk benchmark even if it delays a resolution past the June 26-27 draft.

The Red Wings captain remains under contract through 2031-32, giving Detroit time to wait for the right offer.