The Capitals are engaged in trade talks for Dylan Larkin, and the Red Wings reportedly have a Washington name in mind as the return.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, Ilya Protas would be "an obvious target" for Detroit in any deal. That puts a face on a story that was only a rumor on Saturday.
The timing matters. Washington hosts the Minnesota Wild tonight, riding a three-game winning streak at 8-4-0.
Protas is a 6'6, 225-pound left winger, 20 years old, and he's in his second NHL stretch with 12 games played this season. He has 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points, with a -2 rating.
The Capitals' earlier Dylan Larkin trade talks with the Red Wings were first reported by RMNB on Saturday. LeBrun's report is the first to attach a name from Washington's side.
Washington took Protas in the third round, 75th overall, in 2024. He's on an entry-level deal that runs through 2028-29 and he's an RFA at expiry, so Detroit would be buying years of control, not a rental.
What Detroit would get and what Washington would lose
Larkin is 30 years old and has been a Red Wings pillar for a long time. Over his NHL career he has 649 points in 818 games, with 278 goals.
This season he has 2 goals and 4 assists in 10 games, a +3 rating, and no injury is listed.
Protas has 9 points in 16 career games, including 2 goals. That's a small sample, but it's real production from a player who was a third-round pick and is already holding down a spot in the lineup.
For Detroit, it's a different kind of need. The Red Wings sit 21st in the NHL at 6-5-3, with a -2 goal differential, and they dropped a 5-4 decision to St. Louis on Saturday.
Giving up a young forward with size and an affordable deal for a 30-year-old center is a steep ask. If that's the price, Washington should think hard, because Protas is exactly the kind of cheap, controllable piece a contender wants to keep.
The Capitals have also been linked elsewhere. Nikita Kucherov's trade request and Washington's place on his list gives general manager Chris Patrick more than one door to open.
LeBrun's note on the Protas angle came through TSN, and BarDown passed it along.
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Washington plays Minnesota tonight, and Detroit visits Florida on Monday. Whatever moves next on the Larkin front will land against that backdrop.
Should the Capitals give up Ilya Protas to land Dylan Larkin?
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