On the weekend, Dylan Larkin moved into the Top-10 in NHL scoring. His three points on Saturday gave Larkin eight goals, 14 assists, and 22 points in the first 18 games of the season. As the Red Wings close in on the quarter-mark of the season, fans are starting to worry about the Red Wings ability to sign their captain.
After eight years in the Red Wings lineup, Larkin can become a UFA at the end of the season. Earlier this year, Larkin switched agents, and since that time, things have been very quiet regarding a Larkin extension.
Larkin Excellent All Season
Larkin has had a tremendous start to what could be the final weeks or months in a Red Wings uniform. For most of the season, Larkin has been either first or second in Detroit scoring. Playing on a much-improved power play with Dominik Kubalik, David Perron, Oskar Sundqvist, and Moritz Seider, Larkin is excelling when it counts most. Top NHL teams score with the man advantage, which was missing from Detroit’s non-playoff teams over the last six seasons.
Going into tonight’s game at home against Nashville, Larkin is second in scoring when the Red Wings have the man advantage. Larkin has four power-play goals and eight power-play points, trailing only Kubalik, who has four goals and ten points with the man advantage.
The improved power play this season has helped the Red Wings climb to the top echelon in the NHL standings. Through 18 games, the Red Wings have a 9-5-4 record and a .611 winning percentage. Of course, it’s early, but maintaining this rate of success could garner the Red Wings their first 100-point season since the 2014-2015 playoff season.
Larkin Contract Looming?
The status of Larkin’s contract negotiations is unclear. General manager Steve Yzerman and Larkin’s representatives are hopeful that the two sides can agree on a long-term extension.
Currently, Larkin is in the final season of a five-year extension he signed in 2018. He has a cap hit of $6.1M this season, and his asking price continues to increase with increased productivity. Rumors have it that Larkin is seeking $9-10M per year on any extension he signs with Detroit. With 22 points in his first 18 games, and for a brief time last weekend, climbing into the Top-10 in scoring, Larkin is likely going to receive what he is worth.
The Red Wings have 11 impending UFAs on the current roster. With approximately $30M coming off the books and almost $40M to spend to fill out the roster, Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi will likely get substantial increases to remain in Detroit.
Final Thoughts
Dylan Larkin will likely sign an extension with the Red Wings before the March trade deadline. Failure to come to an agreement could result in a trade that will rock the entire Red Wings roster. This is a potential playoff team, and any unnecessary turmoil would undoubtedly factor into the success of the hockey team. Hopefully, a Larkin signing is in the near future. The longer the negotiations take, the more uneasy the Hockeytown fans will feel as we approach the trade deadline in March.
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Larkin was a Wings fan growing up, & probably still is. Living in the area, & being the Captain, I really don’t see him not signing. The only question is for how much? Does he want to break the bank, or leave money on the table so Stevie can use that cash to bring in more talent. This is still a team game, & Stevie has a great eye for players. I bet he gets a raise, but takes a little under top dollar.