Dylan Larkin gives Marco Sturm the kind of No. 1 center the Bruins still don't have.

That's the whole story in Boston right now. The Bruins can talk about internal growth, but the middle of the ice still needs a proven first-line answer.

Cam Neely said it plainly at the end of the season: “We all in this room recognize we don't have a true number one [center], and that's something that we want to try to rectify, whether it's this offseason or those guys growing into it.”

Now a serious option may be sitting there for them.

According to Elliotte Friedman, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, which changes the conversation for every team looking for help down the middle this summer.

For Boston, that immediately puts Larkin near the top of the board. He's a proven top-line center, and those players rarely become available.

Why Larkin fits what Boston needs

Larkin has scored 30 or more goals in 6 seasons, and that alone tells you how different he would make this lineup look. Boston needs speed, skill, and someone who can drive play through the middle.

He also gives the Bruins a player who can keep up with David Pastrnak and make life easier on the wings. That matters when your offense still leans too heavily on one star.

Friedman also noted: “He has a full no-trade clause both this season and next, so his control over the situation does not change July 1.” That gives Larkin real say in where this goes.

If Boston is on that list, Don Sweeney has to be aggressive. Larkin is signed for 4 more seasons with an $8.7 million cap hit, which is strong value for a legitimate first-line center.

The cost, of course, won't be light. Pavel Zacha, premium picks, and one of Boston's better prospects would likely be part of the discussion.

Sweeney already summed up how hard this market is: “there's not even 32 of them in the league,” referring to true first-line centers. He's right, and that's why this isn't a moment for the Bruins to sit back.

Larkin may not come cheap. But if Boston wants a real answer at center, this is the kind of swing it has to take.