The Boston Bruins may be a logical fit for Dylan Larkin, but that doesn’t mean they’re actually in the mix.
That was the conversation on TSN Radio in Montreal over the weekend, when Jim Biringer of NHLRumors.com, Full Press NHL, and RG Media was asked why Larkin hasn’t broadened his trade list to include Boston. The Bruins came up quickly as a team that could use a player like him, but Biringer said the real issue may be simpler than fit.
“Is Boston on this list? Don’t know.”
From there, the discussion turned to why Boston looks obvious on paper. The host pointed to the Bruins as a strong hockey market, an Original Six franchise, and a team that has been a playoff fixture year after year. Biringer agreed that Boston makes sense, but he also raised the possibility that Larkin has a very specific destination in mind.
“It feels like to me he wants one destination, and this has just been my feeling and gut on it. Like no one’s really been able to corroborate this and confirm this. But my feeling is it’s like he wants to go to Minnesota.
This is where he wants to go, and he‘ll give you other teams. But these other teams really know that they can’t get him because he only wants to go to Minnesota, and maybe the Bruins are just like, well, if you only really want to go here, why should we just put our name on a list of teams that we know realistically you’re not coming to.
Biringer still said Boston belongs in the conversation, along with Montreal, because Larkin would fill a major need for the Canadiens. He compared Larkin to Jeffrey Simmons for the Montreal Canadiens, saying the fit would be ideal if Montreal could pull it off.
Again, family reasons, other reasons, whatever. He doesn’t want to come to Montreal.
Fine. Boston hockey market.
Team always wins. Could use the center.
The issue for me is with Boston. What does Detroit want back in return from Boston?
Because do they really want to take a guy like Pavel Zacha, for instance, back when he’s a free agent at the end of the season, and then they got to do this charade of trying to convince a guy to stay there?
He also mentioned Philadelphia, San Jose, and New Jersey as teams that could make sense, though he noted the Flyers are not winning. In his view, though, the whole situation keeps circling back to Minnesota and Larkin’s connection with Quinn Hughes.
“Boston’s perfect, Philly would be good, but they’re not winning. San Jose would make sense.
New Jersey makes sense. He’s just dug in that these are the 10 teams.
Try to figure out a deal, but realistically, it comes down to the Minnesota Wild and that connection with Quinn Hughes because that’s where he wants to play.”
The broader picture, according to NHLRumors.com, is that the Detroit Red Wings’ situation with Larkin could drag on if he refuses to expand his list. The outlet also noted that the names on the list could be a decoy if Minnesota is the only destination he truly wants. Simon Edvinsson remains the priority because of his December 1st deadline, and Detroit could move both players, though not necessarily in the same deal, to get the return it needs.
For now, the Red Wings appear to be in a poker game, with both sides waiting to see who blinks first.
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