Aleksander Barkov’s latest injury has already set the rumor mill spinning, and the name that keeps coming up is Dylan Larkin.
If Barkov’s setback turns out to be serious enough to cost him the season, the Florida Panthers could find themselves in a tricky spot at center - and with the kind of cap flexibility that invites a big swing. That’s where Larkin enters the conversation.
The Detroit captain is reportedly open to Florida as one of his preferred destinations, and the Panthers have had little reason to chase a major move until now. Barkov’s awkward fall Thursday changed the tone fast, especially because it brought back memories of the torn ACL and MCL that kept him out all of last season after surgery.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice said the injury is unrelated to Barkov’s previous knee problem, but if Florida ends up putting him on LTIR, the club would be staring at both a hole down the middle and the space to try to fill it. The catch is obvious: Detroit would want a player who can step right into the lineup, while Florida reportedly has no interest in moving Anton Lundell.
The no-trade clause debate also flared back up this week, with Gary Bettman arguing that the system has drifted from what it was supposed to protect. He said those clauses were meant for players who gave up something - usually term or money - in exchange for the security of staying put. In his view, the issue now is that some players use those protections to control where they can go when they want out, which wasn’t the point.
Brad Marchand didn’t let that sit. He called the system “broken” and pushed back hard, saying the standard cuts both ways. Marchand questioned why teams should be able to sign a player long term and later decide they want to move him, while the player is expected to live with that arrangement and can’t look for a change himself.
That debate lands in the middle of a few familiar names. Larkin reportedly has a short list of preferred destinations.
Brady Tkachuk wanted Florida. Connor Hellebuyck has reportedly preferred a U.S. destination.
Out in Edmonton, the Oilers are dealing with a different kind of pressure: their own end of the ice. Jake Walman’s start has put him squarely in the conversation after he logged just over 13 minutes Thursday, and the noise around his role is growing. Ryan Rishaug said he wouldn’t healthy-scratch Walman after one rough night, but Rob Brown made the case that if there’s ever a time to sit a defenseman who’s supposed to be in the top four, this is it.
The bigger issue, though, goes beyond one player. Martin Biron said the Oilers’ problems aren’t just about goaltending. Too many Grade-A chances, breakaways, rebounds, screens and scrums are getting through, and the defense has to take more of the load off the goalies.
Walman was also singled out by Mark Spector during Edmonton’s 9-7 win over Vancouver, and Dennis King suggested the leash may not be as long as the one Darnell Nurse once had before eventually being run out of Edmonton. Walman came into camp believing he could handle a bigger role. Right now, that opportunity looks a lot less secure.
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Sportsnets Elliotte Friedman said during a game broadcast that the club is exploring a lateral trade to rebalance the group, and the pressure point is clear: Edmonton has a pile of defensemen who could be exposed to waivers if the team keeps carrying them all. The situation does not sound like a long-term crisis, but it could still force the Oilers into making a move sooner than they would prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face Another McDavid Question They Cannot Ignore Early
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Sid Seixeiro has once again fueled the speculation that McDavid could eventually leave Edmonton, even though there has been nothing from McDavid to suggest dissatisfaction or a desire to move on. He has stayed invested through the Oilers recent rough patches, which is exactly why the renewed chatter lands as more noise than evidence, even as the leagues cap outlook and team-building strategies start to shift around the edges. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Finally Found A Different Way To Win Against Seattle
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The part Edmonton will likely like most is that it did not have to chase the game the way it sometimes has against Seattle. The Oilers stayed patient through a tight third period, with Draisaitl and Connor McDavid eventually supplying the separation and finishing touch when the margin was still there to be claimed. It was the kind of result teams talk about wanting in the fall, a different route to the same two points, even if there was still plenty of bite in the game along the way. [Read more 🡒]