Vegas Golden Knights
· 2026-07-13
The Vegas Golden Knights are being named as one of the top landing spots for Detroit Red Wings star Dylan Larkin, a $69 million center who could reshape the team's top six. The Knights currently sit 4th in the Western Conference with a 39-26 record and are riding a three-game winning streak. Adding a player of Larkin's caliber would be a massive swing before the deadline.
Dylan Larkin is frustrated in Detroit. The Red Wings aren't winning, and he wants a shot at the Stanley Cup. That's where the Golden Knights come in.
Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report called Vegas a "win-now team" with a roster "capable of competing for the Stanley Cup immediately." He said adding Larkin would "enhance what are already championship quality rosters."
For Vegas, Larkin would be an elite center to anchor their top lines for a deep playoff run. He's 29 years old and under contract for five more years at an $8.7 million cap hit. That's a big number, but he's worth it.
The Hockey News laid out one potential framework. If Detroit is willing to take on goalie Adin Hill's $6.25 million cap hit plus another roster player, Vegas has the picks to make it work.
The Golden Knights hold two first-round picks in the 2028 draft. One of those came from the New York Rangers in the Pavel Dorofeyev trade on draft night. That gives them serious ammo.
But the Red Wings need centers back. They'd likely want one or two guys who can lead their top two lines. William Karlsson and Tomas Hertl are both at least 32 years old. That doesn't fit Detroit's long-term plans well, so a third team might need to get involved.
This is the big question. Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit for each of the next five seasons. That's a heavy load for a team already tight against the cap.
For the Golden Knights, trading for Larkin won't be possible without some major changes to active contracts. They'd have to move money out. That could mean trading a player like Hill or another high-salary piece.
For the Florida Panthers, the other top suitor, the math is even harder. They can't afford him either without serious roster surgery. But Larkin would give either team an elite center to upgrade their forward lines.
The Knights are on a W3 streak and sit 4th in the West. Their next game is against the Los Angeles Kings on September 20, 2026. That's a big divisional matchup.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon has to decide if he wants to push his chips in. Larkin is a proven 30-goal, 70-point center who plays hard minutes. He'd be a perfect fit for Bruce Cassidy's system.
But the price is steep. Losing a goalie like Hill and a key forward like Karlsson or Hertl would hurt the current roster. It's a classic win-now dilemma: do you mortgage the present for a better shot at the Cup?
Insiders say Vegas is one of the most aggressive teams in the league. They've never been afraid to make a big move. This one would be their biggest yet.