Yes, there will be an Atlantic Division tax for teams interested in a potential blockbuster trade for Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin.
That's the biggest Buffalo Sabres takeaway from a Monday report by Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, who noted Larkin's initial list of preferred NHL destinations includes the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.
"The return would have to be phenomenal, though, for [Wings general manager Steve] Yzerman to trade Larkin within the Atlantic Division," St. James wrote.
Buffalo immediately stood out as a possible suitor for Larkin. The 29-year-old Michigan native has formally requested a trade out of Detroit, according to premier NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
A true first-line center capable of winning key faceoffs sits atop the wish list for many Sabres fans as GM Jarmo Kekalainen navigates his first offseason leading the club's front office, a task complicated by some tight salary-cap constraints this summer.
Larkin would certainly fit the bill, though. He's coming another strong season for the Wings, tallying 67 points (34 goals and 33 assists) in 74 games. He won 52.9% of his faceoffs and scored 24 of those points on the power play, another longstanding Buffalo problem.
It sounds like the Sabres, or another Atlantic Division rival of Detroit like the Panthers, would need to offer significantly more than anybody else to pry the three-time NHL All-Star away from Yzerman, though.
Larkin also owns a full no-trade clause, which gives him the opportunity to essentially handpick a new home, though St. James reported the Wings may ultimately ask him to "expand his list" beyond three teams to at least give them some leverage in trade talks.
Updated look at a Buffalo Sabres trade offer for Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin
Our Brandon Croce previously projected the Sabres could offer center Josh Norris, winger Jack Quinn, top defensive prospect Radim Mrtka and their first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft as a potential package to land Larkin. That feels fair on the surface.
But what about the Atlantic Division tax? If the Wings are demanding an extra asset to get talks across the finish line, who might Buffalo be willing to include? Some fans may suggest that offer is already more than enough, but legitimate No. 1 centers don't come available often. It'll be super pricey.
One name comes to mind as the potential final piece: Anton Wahlberg.
The 20-year-old center prospect, a second-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, simply hasn't taken the step forward offensively the Sabres have been waiting on.
Wahlberg posted 38 points (nine goals and 28 assists) in 68 games for the AHL's Rochester Americans this season. It was a modest uptick from his 30 points in 63 contests last season.
The 6-foot-3 Swede is defensively advanced for a player his age, and he still has a lot of development runway left. At this stage, it's hard to imagine he'll ever become a bona fide first-line player, but a middle-six role is still within reach.
It's also possible he just can't find quite enough offense to stick at hockey's top level, though. HockeyStats.com gives him just a 29% of becoming a full-time NHLer and a 6% chance of turning into a "star," which is defined as a top 20% forward in the league.
So, could Wahlberg eventually break through? Sure, but it's also fair to question whether his current trajectory is enough to walk away from Larkin talks if it ever reached that stage.
That's all hypothetical, of course. But it sounds like there would definitely be a premium on any in-division trade agreements, which was pretty much expected and is now confirmed.
It's something to keep in mind if Larkin eventually expands his acceptable list of landing spots to include the Sabres this summer.
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