Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings have remained cool even as the Michigan summer finds itself past the halfway point, and yet, the offseason has been quite busy across the NHL as front offices across the league look to reshape their roster for the next year. Despite Dylan Larkin making headlines by requesting a trade out of Detroit before the offseason even began, the Red Wings have been almost entirely silent in an exploding trade market.
With Brady Tkachuk, Alex Tuch and many other top players and pending free agents on the move, it's a little surprising for many Detroit fans that so far, the only move made public by Yzerman has been to trade Amadeus Lombardi to the New Jersey Devils for a fourth round pick in this year's draft. Lombardi was a near point per game producer for the Grand Rapids Griffins these past two years. According to insiders, Red Wings brass had hoped for some more defensive responsibility and growth from the small(er) center. As well, Lombardi spent much of the past year recovering from injury, limiting him to just 42 of the Griffins' games.
However, as even cap strapped teams like the Avalanche have begun to make their moves, Yzerman and the Red Wings have made sure to keep any potential negotiations largely out of the media. Larkin's three team trade list has already shrunk with the Panthers knocking themselves out of contention by reuniting the Tkachuk brothers, and only Dallas has emerged as another potential contender.
How Yzerman swings the Larkin trade, and the results of the players and prospects he gets in return will likely have a long-lasting effect on the former Red Wings captain's legacy in Hockeytown.