Daily Faceoff reports the Flyers would absorb Yakov Trenin's contract to help broker a Dylan Larkin deal, and that's a surprising role for Philadelphia.
The idea first surfaced over the weekend, when Dylan Larkin trade chatter put the Flyers in the mix as a middleman rather than a destination. The latest report adds a price tag.
Anthony Di Marco noted that Daily Faceoff was told the Flyers would act as a third-party broker between the Wild and the Red Wings, and would take on Trenin's contract for the right price.
Trenin is the piece that needs moving. The Wild center has no goals and two assists through 16 games this season, with a -4 rating, and he played 12:02 in Sunday's 5-1 win at Washington. His $3.5 million cap hit runs through 2027-28.
Larkin is a very different player. He has six points in 10 games for Detroit, and his $8.7 million cap hit runs through 2030-31.
The Flyers aren't coming at this from strength. They're 4-8-4, 27th in the NHL, with a goal differential of -19, even after Sunday's 6-3 win over Utah. Rick Tocchet has a team still searching for its footing.
What the Flyers should demand for taking Trenin
Taking on a depth forward with no goals and a deal that stretches into next season is a real cost, and Daniel Briere should not treat it as a favor. If Philadelphia is going to be the middleman, it needs a pick or a prospect back. Anything less is a bad trade for a team sitting this low in the standings.
The other two sides have different pressures. Minnesota is 10-3-3 and third in the NHL, so any move is about fine-tuning a contender. Detroit is 6-5-3 and plays at Florida tonight, with Todd McLellan's group coming off a 5-4 loss to St. Louis.
Nothing in the report says a deal is close, and the key detail is still missing: what the Flyers would get for their trouble. Minnesota visits Philadelphia on Tuesday, with the Larkin question still unanswered.
