Tuesday night, Detroit Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin was hit in the wrist/hand area by an errant puck. Larkin rolled his eyes and proceeded to skate off the ice and head down the tunnel shortly before the end of the first period. Upon taking the ice before the second period, Larkin tested the hand region injury to no avail. Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde announced Larkin was unfit to play Wednesday night against the Wild. No official injury has been sighted.
Dylan Larkin is off to another strong start for the Red Wings. His 10 goals, 17 assists, and 27 points are among tops on the team. Not to mention Larkin has become an excellent top line center. This is why, while there is never a good time for injuries, this is worth monitoring. If Larkin’s injured hand is going to mean missing multiple weeks, then perhaps, a trade would help ease the loss of the captain.
There is a name being linked to Detroit via trade, and it is a name that many say could be the Red Wings focus during trade season. Vancouver Canucks C- Bo Horvat. It was said last week Vancouver made Horvat a contract offer (the third one), and he rejected it. Leading many to say the Canucks will now look to move the teams captain, Horvat.
The Detroit Red Wings and GM Steve Yzerman certainly have the assets to pull the trigger on a potential trade. If a trade were to be made, it would have to come with assurance Horvat would negotiate a contract with Detroit. After all, the price to get Horvat will be a high one. This should not be a rental on Detroit’s part. They are now at the stage where they need to be adding players.
Bo Horvat will have a market for his services. Again, at this time, only the people inside the Red Wings building know the extent of Dylan Larkin’s injury. Even so, trading for a player like Horvat would strengthen the Red Wings down the middle after Larkin returns.
This would not be a knee-jerk reaction on the Red Wings part. Horvat would be viewed as a piece and a big addition one that would push the team closer to contention. While both Larkin and Horvat are the top line centers for the Red Wings and Canucks, respectively. One would be headed to the second line, which is a good problem to have.
Again, this is purely speculation based on an injury to Larkin that few know the extent of. That said, Horvat to Detroit has some traction, at least by those who circulate these feeds.
