The Washington Capitals had an interesting name listed on their press box seating chart at Capital One Arena on Sunday.
Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper was in DC to take in the club’s contest against the Minnesota Wild. Washington and Minnesota’s afternoon matchup was Draper’s second in recent days as, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, he was present for the Capitals’ 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers last Wednesday.
Draper’s appearances come as he and the rest of Detroit’s front office continue to seek out the best trade return for disgruntled center Dylan Larkin. The team’s former captain requested a trade over the summer and, after a brief reunion this fall, has decided he will sit out all Red Wings games until he gets his move.
Larkin has a 10-team trade list, and both the Capitals and Wild are on that list, with the Wild reportedly tendering multiple trade offers to the Red Wings in recent weeks. Washington has also reportedly shown interest in the 30-year-old pivot, with top young forward Ilya Protas likely at the top of Detroit’s targets in return.
The Capitals made a couple of interesting roster moves ahead of Sunday’s game, sending a draft pick to the New Jersey Devils for goaltender Remi Poirier and waiving defenseman Dylan McIlrath. Washington is now carrying 14 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 3 goaltenders on their active roster, suggesting more movement in the near future.
The overall price to acquire Larkin is rumored to be very high, with the Red Wings reportedly seeking three or four pieces in return, including, per TSN’s Darren Dreger, “two A-quality prospects, a top-nine forward who can play in the NHL right now, and a first-round draft pick.”
During the 2025-26 campaign, Larkin recorded 67 points (34g, 33a) in 74 games, marking his fifth straight year scoring at least 30 goals. He has notched at least 67 points in the past five seasons, including a career-high 79 points (32g, 47a) in 2022-23. He has six points (2g, 4a) in 10 games this season.
The other eight teams on Larkin’s trade list include the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Utah Mammoth, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils.
