Another big Detroit Red Wings player is reportedly following in Dylan Larkin's footsteps

The Dylan Larkin saga might not end with Dylan Larkin. David Pagnotta says how it plays out could shape Alex DeBrincat's future in Detroit too.

Pagnotta connected the two directly. Depending on how the Larkin situation resolves, he said, it'll have an effect on DeBrincat and his future with the Red Wings.

His takeaway was telling. Maybe a few things are happening in Detroit, not just one.

So this isn't a one-player story anymore. The Larkin outcome could be the trigger for a wider shake-up.

The logic tracks once you look at the roster.

Pagnotta's framing turns a single trade request into a bigger question.

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The Larkin domino could topple DeBrincat next

Here's why the two are linked. Both are core scorers, and if trading the captain signals a reset, DeBrincat becomes a logical next domino.

And he'd carry real value. DeBrincat is a 28-year-old who scored 41 goals and 85 points on a $7.875 million deal. That's a player who fetches a serious return.

Recall Pagnotta's earlier read, too. He said the best Larkin package looked futures-driven, the kind that resets the rebuild. If Detroit is resetting, why stop at one name?

That's the cascade. A 41-goal forward in his prime is exactly the asset a retooling team cashes in to accelerate a youth pivot.

The context frames it. Detroit finished 92 points and 16th overall, with a core of DeBrincat, Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider that hasn't broken through.

But it cuts both ways, which is Pagnotta's actual point. If Larkin's return is NHL-ready, or he stays, DeBrincat's role stabilizes and the urgency fades.

Here's my read: Steve Yzerman is at a fork. Trade Larkin and commit to a reset, and DeBrincat likely follows. Get real help back, and Detroit keeps competing.

The Larkin decision is really a referendum on the whole direction. It's bigger than one player by a mile.

So the trade everyone's waiting on isn't just about the captain. It's the first domino in what could be a much busier Detroit summer.

DeBrincat is the next name to watch. And those dominoes are already lined up.

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