The Dylan Larkin chatter isn’t dying down anytime soon, and Montreal has suddenly become part of the conversation in a way it wasn’t before.
Speaking on NHL on TNT ahead of the 2026 Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets, Elliotte Friedman said Detroit is actively checking in on centers as the Red Wings navigate their situation with Larkin and Simon Edvinsson.
“The Dylan Larkin thing in Detroit with Simon Edvinsson, that’s what I would call this percolating. I think Detroit is calling around now, and I don’t know if it’s for Larkin or it’s for Simon Edvinsson, but they are asking teams about young centers.
And we’re not only talking about guys who are in the NHL now, but also guys who are maybe top prospects in organizations. If there is a good center out there, and even available or not, Detroit has asked about them.
If it’s a team that Larkin will go to.”
That set the stage for the other name attached to this rumor mill: Montreal. Jackie Redmond asked whether Larkin might be willing to widen his list, and Friedman didn’t dismiss the Canadiens.
“Everybody’s asking about Montreal.”
He added that the recent game in Montreal did make an impression.
“I know that’s where you’re trying to lead me, is Montreal? I would say this.
I think that game in Montreal moved the needle a bit. Like when those fans were saying, ‘We Want Larkin.’
I absolutely think it moved the needle.
My guess is this: the only way that could happen is if Montreal and Detroit were in a situation where they felt they could make a deal, and then they would have to go to him. But put it this way: at the beginning, I said no way.
That one game moved the needle. But it’s not at the point right now where I’m saying yes to Larkin and Montreal.”
The situation around Detroit remains fluid. NHLRumors.com noted that the Red Wings appear to have moved off their asking price, but it’s still unclear whether they want a center in return for Larkin or Edvinsson. The report also said Larkin still wants a trade out of Detroit, while Edvinsson’s preference is also a trade because of how long the contract talks have dragged on.
Montreal has reportedly always been open to a deal with Detroit for Larkin, though the player still only wants to play in the United States. Even so, some in his camp believe the Canadiens would be a strong fit.
With one major domino now down, the trade picture could start to shift quickly.
In Other News...
Red Wings Face A Real Simon Edvinsson Deadline Problem
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Edvinsson has already made clear he would prefer a trade, even if he has not formally asked for one, which only adds another layer to a situation Detroit would rather settle cleanly. Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff is still working toward a deal, but the clock is no longer just a background detail, and the Red Wings know what is at stake if this drags on much longer. [Read more 🡒]
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The tension is especially clear in how the team might navigate trade talks around Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson, two players who could define which direction this front office wants to take. The conversations being floated are still speculative, but they underline the same problem Horcoff faces throughout this stretch: Detroit has to decide whether it wants quick help for the present or a broader return that keeps the door open for the next era. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Red Wings, it is another reminder of how quickly these situations can linger and harden into real pressure points. Detroit is still navigating unresolved business with Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson, and the longer those questions hang around, the more every comparable deal around the league starts to matter. Nikishin's case does not answer what comes next in Detroit, but it sharpens the sense that the clock is ticking. [Read more 🡒]