The Columbus Blue Jackets keep circling Carson Soucy, and the signs are getting louder.
Soucy has been at camp on a professional tryout, and Mark Scheig reported that the Blue Jackets are pointing toward signing him to a contract. That makes sense with Dante Fabbro and Damon Severson both injured, leaving Columbus in need of help on the blue line.
Rick Bowness doubled down on Soucy’s camp performance, saying, “He’s still here because we’ve been very happy with what he’s done. He’s played very well. He’s what we need.”
There’s also another wrinkle in Columbus: a defenseman could wind up being part of the rumored Kirill Marchenko trade talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Those discussions were mentioned as happening today.
Out in Edmonton, the Oilers are showing a serious appetite for Kirby Dach. Frank Seravalli said on Casino.org that “The interest in Edmonton borders on drooling; the Oilers are intent on acquiring Dach at some point, whether that’s before the season starts, at the March 1 trade deadline, or next summer as a free agent.”
And then there’s the Dylan Larkin situation, where the list keeps shifting but the market still hasn’t caught up.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that the Detroit Red Wings are hoping Shawn Horcoff’s interim GM tag can help jump-start trade talks. Larkin’s list has grown to around eight teams, according to Elliotte Friedman’s report on Friday, and Larkin understands this is taking longer than he expected.
Detroit has told teams it doesn’t want a futures-heavy return, but that may be where this heads anyway. Cap space is tight for the clubs on Larkin’s list, with only one team carrying more than $1 million in space, so any deal would have to be money-in, money-out.
Pagnotta also said there are teams not on Larkin’s list that have shown interest since June: Montreal, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Carolina and San Jose. The Red Wings have already turned down offers from the Bruins and Wild.
In Other News...
Red Wings Just Sent A Clear Opening Night Message To Fans
The Red Wings used practice to sketch out what their opening night group could look like, and the look was noticeably different from the one fans might have expected. Several young players were slotted into meaningful spots, the forward lines were reshuffled, and Daniil Tarasov took the net in place of John Gibson as Detroit continued to sort through its roster decisions before the opener.
What stood out just as much was who was not out there in that projected setup. Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson were absent from the lineup the team worked with, leaving the club with a few prominent questions still hanging as it heads toward Fridays cutdown deadline and a season opener against the New York Rangers. For a group still trying to settle its roles, the message from practice was clear enough: nothing is locked in yet. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Blue Line Suddenly Carries A Bigger Question Than Fans Expected
The Red Wings blue line got a little more crowded this week when Andreas Englund arrived off waivers, and the move adds another layer to a defense corps already trying to sort out roles and development timelines. For a team that has spent plenty of time balancing present-day depth with long-term upside, adding a veteran defenseman into the mix creates one more decision point for a staff that is still trying to map out the back end.
The timing matters because the competition does not stop with the established names. Younger defenders such as Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson are still part of the picture, and Detroit has made no secret of wanting to handle its prospects carefully while giving the roster enough stability. Englunds presence may simply be about insurance for now, but it also hints at how much is still unsettled as the Wings continue building their blue line. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkins Red Wings Exit Now Feels Like A Matter Of Time
Dylan Larkins situation has gone from a preseason distraction to something much harder to brush aside as the Red Wings move deeper into the season opener without him. The captain has been out with an upper-body injury, but the more significant issue is the trade request he made behind the scenes, a development that has complicated what was already shaping up to be a tense start for Detroit.
Larkin has said he is trying to stay professional and rebuild trust with his teammates while also acknowledging the frustration felt by both himself and the fan base. The fact that his trade preferences have widened only adds to the sense that this is no longer a passing subplot, and for a team that has leaned on him as a centerpiece, the next steps around his status now carry real weight. [Read more 🡒]