Dylan Larkin’s trade market already has a wrinkle, and it’s a big one: Montreal is out.
According to the latest update, the Canadiens are not on Larkin’s list of approved destinations. That matters because Montreal looked like a natural fit on paper.
The Canadiens had the kind of picks, prospects, and cap-friendly contracts that could have made them a strong partner for Detroit. But none of that helps if Larkin won’t sign off, and with a full no-trade clause, he holds the leverage.
That leaves Detroit waiting and sorting through a smaller pool of possibilities. Minnesota is still being mentioned, but it comes with its own complications as the team tries to lock down a Quinn Hughes extension.
That makes taking on another major contract a tougher sell right now. Beyond that, the names are more speculative than concrete - Vegas, Tampa, and maybe a sleeper like Utah.
For now, this looks like a process that could drag on.
While Larkin’s situation continues to cloud Detroit’s options, MacKenzie Weegar weighed in on a different NHL trend: players wanting out of Canadian markets. On OverDrive, Weegar made it clear he’s not a fan of what he’s seeing.
He spoke warmly about his time in Calgary, praising the fans and the passion around the team, and suggested the city could become even more attractive once the new arena is built. He also acknowledged that American markets can offer more in certain ways, but still called the overall trend “a bit unfortunate.”
Weegar’s comments carried an edge, whether intentional or not. His message was simple: it shouldn’t matter where you play.
Wearing an NHL jersey is an honour. That viewpoint lands as a subtle jab at players who are actively trying to steer their way into specific markets.
Edmonton, meanwhile, looks a little sharper in hindsight. The Oilers weren’t blindsided by Frederik Andersen missing the start of the season.
They saw this coming and built around it. GM Stan Bowman said the injury is a lingering issue rather than something new, and he made it clear the team never expected Andersen to be a true workhorse at this stage, given his age and injury history.
That’s why Edmonton didn’t have to scramble. Jarry and Levi are there to handle real minutes early in the year, and the Oilers structured things with that reality in mind.
Last season, they were forced to react and added Jarry on the fly. This time, they signed Andersen at a low cost, accepted the risk, and made sure there was a Plan B from the start.
In Other News...
Oilers Face A Huge Elias Pettersson Debate In Their Cup Window
The idea of Edmonton chasing Elias Pettersson has a way of surfacing whenever the Oilers Cup window comes into focus, because a top-tier center is the kind of swing that can reshape a contenders roster overnight. In this case, the speculation is centered on whether Vancouver might be willing to move him at all, and whether Edmonton would be bold enough to entertain the kind of deal that could slot another high-end forward into a lineup already built to win now.
The attraction is obvious for the Oilers: Pettersson brings the sort of talent that can change the middle of the ice, but the cost would be substantial and the structure of any deal would have to work for both sides. Vancouvers willingness to keep part of the money in play only adds another layer to the debate, and the larger question hanging over the rumor is whether Edmonton should spend that kind of future capital for a player of Petterssons caliber while its championship clock is ticking. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have One Contract Question Fans Cant Ignore
Stan Bowmans latest comments on professional tryout contracts offered a small window into how the Oilers are viewing the market as camp chatter starts to pick up. He said bringing someone in on a PTO is possible, but not a priority, and the Oilers are hardly operating from a place of urgency anyway. They are not overflowing with players, but they also do not have a shortage, which leaves Edmonton in a fairly workable spot as it sorts through the rest of its roster picture.
That kind of stance matters because it keeps the focus on fit rather than sheer numbers, something the Canadiens are also wrestling with as they watch their own contract questions unfold. Montreal remains tied to Kirill Marchenko and is reportedly willing to wait on a player who might want out of Columbus, while Zachary Bolduc is expected to get signed soon. Arber Xhekaj, though, remains a more complicated case, with limited playing time and more competition around him than before. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face A Familiar McDavid Draisaitl Decision With Real Consequences
The debate over Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl sharing a line is back in the foreground in Edmonton, and it is not hard to see why. Stan Bowman addressed the possibility this week, saying there is no definitive answer but acknowledging the logic of pairing the two stars when the roster around them has not provided much depth. It is the kind of lineup question that can shape everything from five-on-five production to how the rest of the forward group is deployed.
Bowman also noted the bigger ripple effect when McDavid and Draisaitl are kept apart: both end up soaking up heavy even-strength minutes, which can squeeze chances for everyone else. For an Oilers team trying to find better balance behind its elite talent, that creates a familiar tension between maximizing the top of the lineup and preserving enough responsibility for the players lower down the chart. The answer may not be simple, but the stakes around it are easy to see. [Read more 🡒]