The Boston Bruins are off to a strong enough start that they’ve put themselves in the conversation for a player like Dylan Larkin, even if that conversation is going nowhere fast right now.
Boston leads the Atlantic Division and sits second in the East behind the reigning champion Carolina Hurricanes after 16 games. With a resume like that, the Bruins can sell a pretty appealing pitch: structure, consistency and a real chance to chase a Stanley Cup. Their +20 goal differential is second best in the NHL, and that kind of start is exactly why they’ve reportedly kept pushing for Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin.
But the latest reporting doesn’t exactly point toward a breakthrough.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said Thursday he was surprised by how the week had played out. He had heard Larkin was considering changing his list of acceptable destinations over the weekend, but that never happened.
Friedman named Buffalo, Montreal and St. Louis as teams trying to get in, and then added, “I suspect Boston, honestly, is another one,” he said.
TSN’s Darren Dreger also reported that Red Wings director of pro scouting Kris Draper was at Boston’s recent game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Dreger said the Bruins are believed to be in the same position as Montreal in trying to earn a place on Larkin’s list, but that the list remains an “unchanged 10-team list.”
That leaves Boston on the outside looking in for now.
The reason is simple: Larkin’s camp has told the Red Wings they’ve given them 10 teams, and Detroit should be able to make something work with the 10 already on the table. So even though the Bruins are interested, and even though they might have one of the better offers available, the current answer is still no.
Detroit has said it will keep exploring trades, but any move has to get Larkin’s approval and has to serve “the best interests of the Detroit Red Wings.”
So the situation is pretty clear at the moment. The Bruins want Larkin.
Larkin doesn’t want the Bruins. And whether that changes as he keeps losing money the longer he sits remains to be seen.
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