Casey Mittelstadt of the Boston Bruins. Getty
Matthew Poitras of the Boston Bruins would head to Detroit under a new trade pitch. Getty
The Boston Bruins came crashing back to Earth Thursday with a humbling 5-2 loss to their archrival Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden.
Casey Mittelstadt scored the only two Bruins goals in the lopsided defeat, but under a new trade pitch published Friday and aimed at the Bruins, Boston would trade away its 10-year veteran center and land a three-time All-Star, albeit a disgruntled one in return.
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The proposed trade would send suspended Red Wings center Dylan Larkin to Boston for Mittelstadt, Matthew Poitras and two 2027 first-round picks.
The trade pitch created using the PuckGM simulator tests whether the Detroit Red Wings can end a standoff that has cost Larkin about $41,000 each day since his suspension.
Larkin, 30, is a Waterford, Michigan, native whom Detroit selected 15th overall in 2014 after he earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors at Michigan. He has played all 12 NHL seasons in Detroit, totaling 278 goals and 649 points in 818 games, including five consecutive 30-goal seasons since 2021-22. He also won Olympic gold with Team USA in February.
Detroit stripped his captaincy on Sept. 11 and suspended him without pay Oct. 29, after he said he would no longer play for the team. His $8.7 million cap hit runs through 2030-31, and his no-trade clause gives him control over where he goes. Boston is not on his 10-team list, but the Bruins “would like to get on to Larkin’s list,” TSN’s Darren Dreger said earlier this month, as quoted by Boston.com.
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How Dylan Larkin Fits the Boston Bruins’ First Line
GettyCasey Mittelstadt of the Boston Bruins.
Boston’s top line currently features J.J. Peterka, Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak. Larkin would center Peterka and Pastrnak, pushing Zacha down the lineup, while Mittelstadt and fourth-line center Poitras would be shipped to Detroit. Boston.com‘s analysis called Larkin an upgrade rather than a franchise-altering player, and it listed Fraser Minten and James Hagens as young centers the Bruins are reluctant to trade, so neither is part of this package.
Financially, Boston adds $2.1 million in cap commitments, because Larkin’s $8.7 million replaces Mittelstadt’s $5.75 million and Poitras’s $850,000. Larkin’s remaining salary totals about $38.6 million against $43.5 million in cap charges, so the cash Boston would pay runs roughly $4.9 million below the cap figure.
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Detroit Red Wings’ Return for Dylan Larkin
GettyMatthew Poitras of the Boston Bruins would head to Detroit under a new trade pitch.
Mittelstadt, 27, grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and went eighth overall to Buffalo in 2017. Colorado landed him in a pre-deadline trade for Bowen Byram in 2024, and he joined Boston in March 2025. He has 13 points in 22 games this season on a $5.75 million contract that expires after 2026-27 and includes a modified no-trade clause.
Poitras, 22, is a Whitby, Ontario, native chosen 54th overall in 2022. He had 27 points in 69 NHL games entering this season, posted 13 goals and 44 points in 69 AHL games for Providence last season and signed a one-year, two-way deal at $850,000. He now centers Boston’s fourth line.
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Detroit currently uses Emmitt Finnie, Andrew Copp and Marco Kasper at center, along with J.T. Compher. Detroit wants a return that “has to be something that helps this team,” interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said Wednesday, as quoted by NHL.com. The Red Wings reportedly prefer established NHL players to a package of futures, according to Boston.com. Mittelstadt fits the first description, and the two first-round picks supply the second.
By the numbers, Detroit collects the larger haul, two NHL-level centers and two first-round picks, one each from Boston and Toronto, while Boston gets the larger on-ice jump. Larkin produced 67 points in 74 games last season, and Mittelstadt 42 in 71. The structure matches Detroit interim general manager Shawn Horcoff’s stated criteria. The obstacles are Larkin’s list, which excludes Boston, and Mittelstadt’s modified no-trade clause.
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This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Bruins Trade Pitch Lands Dylan Larkin From Red Wings for Mittelstadt-Led Package appeared first on HEAVY.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
