Report: Capitals Enter the Dylan Larkin Trade Picture

The Washington Capitals are one of the 10 teams on the list of destinations Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin will accept, and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported on Oct. 29 that the Capitals have engaged the Red Wings in Dylan Larkin trade talks.How far those talks have gone is the part LeBrun would not put a number on.LeBrun said, “My sense is the Caps have engaged to some level, but I can’t tell how hard they’ve pushed. Ilya Protas would be an obvious target for Detroit in any package.”Oct 29, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) blocks the shot of Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Where the Dylan Larkin Standoff StandsThat is the first real sign of Washington in a standoff that has gone on all season. Larkin asked for a trade in May, was stripped of the captaincy on Sept. 11, and the Red Wings suspended him without pay on Oct. 30 after he told the team he would not play again until he is moved. Detroit has said it is willing to wait for the right deal, and Larkin’s full no-trade clause means he has to approve the destination anyway.The list itself may not hold. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said on the Oct. 31 Saturday Headlines segment that it is possible the list gets altered over the next 24 to 48 hours, which is the kind of reshuffle that can move a team like Washington up the board in a hurry.What Detroit Wants Back in a Dylan Larkin TradeThere is no doubt that Detroit wants young players in return for Larkin. Ilya Protas is only 20 years old. Washington took the forward in the third round, 75th overall, in the 2024 NHL Draft. He has played 12 games this season for the Capitals, with one goal, four assists and a minus-2 rating. His older brother, Aliaksei, is also on the Washington roster.The Red Wings would need more back than Protas alone, but he is the obvious starting point between Detroit and Washington. Giving up a 20-year-old the Capitals drafted and developed is also the kind of price a team only pays when it believes the window is now.Why Washington Has a Reason to PushLanding Larkin would also fit Washington’s calendar. Alex Ovechkin told teammates on Oct. 5 that this season is his last in the NHL. That makes 2026-27 the Capitals’ final year with the league’s all-time leading goal scorer, and a top-line center is the kind of addition that makes a farewell season matter.Nothing has been agreed to, and LeBrun’s own wording is a caution more than a signal. Whether Washington and Detroit can get to the finish line is the next thing to watch.