A top priority for general manager Ken Holland and the Los Angeles Kings early this offseason is finding a true top-line center who can be a long-term impact player at the position.
It looks like the Kings' timing here might be pretty good with a big star in the league reportedly requesting a trade early this offseason.
If Dylan Larkin is truly available, the Los Angeles Kings should be among the first teams to call Detroit
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on June 4 that Larkin requested a trade from the Red Wings early this offseason. This is easily one of the biggest storylines early this summer on the trade block around the league concerning Larkin.
Reports suggest Larkin has grown frustrated with Detroit's ongoing playoff drought and uncertainty surrounding the organization's direction.
If Larkin truly becomes available, the Kings should immediately be among the teams expressing interest.
This rumor comes at a great time for the Kings, who are looking to find a long-term replacement at the first-line center position after the retirement of center captain Anze Kopitar this offseason.
Larkin would immediately become the Kings' best center and give the organization a legitimate top-line option entering the post-Anze Kopitar era.
The Artemi Panarin trade with the New York Rangers earlier this year proved that Holland is willing to make aggressive moves when he believes a star player can help the roster. If Larkin becomes available, this could be another opportunity to make a franchise-altering addition.
What separates Larkin from many of the other centers linked to Los Angeles this offseason is his combination of age, production, and long-term value. At 29 years old, he is young enough to remain a key piece of the roster for several seasons while still possessing the experience of a veteran leader. Unlike some of the older short-term options available, Larkin could help the Kings both now and in the future.
I think the biggest challenge here is how much it would hypothetically cost the Kings to trade for a player like Larkin from the Red Wings this offseason. Since it is really difficult to find a center of Larkin's caliber and versatility on the trade block in the modern day, the Kings would probably have to give up a lot of future assets and key players on the roster to get him from Detroit.
The ideal scenario for Los Angeles would be building a package around draft capital and secondary assets while avoiding the inclusion of core young players such as Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, or other foundational pieces of the future.
