After changing agents earlier this offseason, it felt like Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings would be able to work out a long-term contract extension to keep the captain with his hometown team. However, it has yet to happen so far. In his latest mailbag for The Athletic (subscription link), Max Bultman tried to peg where a new deal should fall for the 26-year-old, suggesting Mika Zibanejad and Evgeny Kuznetsov as viable comparables. Those players took up a little more than 10% at the time their deals would sign which would peg Larkin’s price tag around the $8.6MM range. That would certainly represent a sizable increase on his current $6.1MM AAV and it doesn’t hurt that Larkin is coming off a 69-point season, the second-most of his career. There’s still plenty of time to get a deal done but it’s a bit surprising that an agreement isn’t yet in place.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Although he underwent offseason surgery after missing the final three games of the season due to a lower-body injury, Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar told reporters, including Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link) that he will be ready to return by training camp next month. The 25-year-old had 24 points in 77 games last season which helped him to earn a three-year, $4.2MM contract last week to avoid salary arbitration. With Max Pacioretty and Mattias Janmark moving on this summer, Kolesar could be in line for a bit more playing time next season.
- After signing his entry-level deal earlier this month, Blackhawks prospect Jalen Luypen is on the move in the WHL. Tri-City announced that they’ve acquired the 20-year-old from Edmonton in a swap that included multiple conditional draft picks that are likely dependent on where the forward plays next season. Chicago could turn Luypen pro with AHL Rockford or send him back to junior for an overage year where he’d try to improve on the 64 points in the 66 games he played last season.
Zibanejad and Kuznetsov are not good comparables for Larkin. Those two are both legit first line centers. Larkin, realistically, is a second line center. Anything more than $7.5 million AAV is an overpayment in my opinion.
Larkin is a very good second line center. Unfortunately the Wings will be paying him like he is a big star. Larkin was 44th in points in the NHL last season which puts it in perspective.
Didnt play full year
Played most of the year with core injury
44th is till top line production. 32 teams times 3 players per line is 96 and he also has D men above him. Also great defensively.
Yalls “hes a second line center” is just regurgitated bs.
Yeah dude played his whole career on a bad team. Wonder why hes not producing like stamkos
I like Larkin and don’t care if we sign him for 7.5 or 9 just want to sign him.