The Detroit Red Wings want to lock up Dylan Larkin, as the Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James reports the two sides are negotiating a five- or six-year agreement.
A restricted free agent, Larkin led the Red Wings in scoring last season with 63 points. He's also emerged as the team's top option at center after he began his career on the wing.
"I feel pretty confident that something will get done before training camp," Larkin told St. James. "No worries about it."
Given his production and the length of a potential deal, Larkin is looking at a substantial raise. He's coming off his three-year entry deal that carried a $925,000 annual cap hit, plus another $1.5 million in performance bonuses, according to CapFriendly.
As it stands, the Red Wings have just $2.8 million in cap space, meaning the team will need to find some financial wiggle room to fit in Larkin.
Teams can exceed the salary cap by 10 percent in the offseason. Detroit can also free up more dollars once Johan Franzen, who carries a $3.95-million cap hit, is placed on long-term injured reserve. Franzen hasn't played since October 2015 due to battles with concussions, and is under contract for the next two seasons.
The Red Wings selected Larkin with the 15th pick in the 2014 draft. He's tallied 56 goals and 84 assists in 242 career games.
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