Dylan Larkin’s name is still out there in the rumor mill, and the latest buzz has the Montreal Canadiens getting pulled into the conversation.
On TSN’s OverDrive, Bryan Hayes made the case that Montreal is the cleanest fit if Larkin does move. Frankie Corrado agreed with the idea, but Hayes said the biggest hurdle is getting Larkin himself on board: “I’ve said all along, Larkin to Montreal is what makes sense,” argued Hayes.
“I totally agree with that,” responded Corrado. “But Larkin’s got to come around to it,” Hayes added.
The appeal, at least on paper, is obvious to Hayes. He pointed to the Canadiens’ center depth and the talent around it, saying the combination of Nick Suzuki and Larkin down the middle would be hard to ignore. “With all the firepower they have on the wing and with all of the prospects they have in the system, that just makes too much sense.”
Money is part of the argument too. Larkin is on a longer-term contract with an $8.7 million AAV, a number Montreal could absorb and explain within its roster structure.
Hayes and Corrado noted that he would arrive as the team’s highest-paid forward, though Noah Dobson already makes more. The gap between Larkin’s number and the Canadiens’ top forwards is not dramatic, with Suzuki at $7.875 million and Cole Caufield at $7.85 million.
If Detroit were to retain $1 million, that would only make the fit easier.
For now, though, the biggest issue remains Larkin’s willingness to waive his no-trade clause. He is believed to be open to a move to the Minnesota Wild, but a possible trade has stalled with the Red Wings still without a general manager.
Larkin does skate with Caufield in the summer, and he already knows other players on the team. Montreal is also viewed as a strong, rising club that could give him a real shot at winning, which was one of the things he wanted.
Still, one fan raised a fair point: a skill-set match is not the same thing as a personality match. And even if Montreal makes sense for Larkin, Detroit would still need a real return in any deal. The question now is what the Canadiens would be willing to give up if the unhappy center ever decides to move.
In Other News...
Wild Fans Are Getting A Big Viewing Change This Season
Minnesota Wild fans who have gotten used to tracking games across a patchwork of channels are in for another shift next season. The team announced its national broadcast schedule for the 2026-27 NHL season, with games slated to appear on ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu, TNT, ABC and other platforms, while the club also prepares to launch a team-owned and operated exclusive multimedia television network for the games not picked up by national NHL partners.
The changing TV landscape is only part of the adjustment, since the NHL also moved the start times for eight Wild games during the season. For fans planning around the schedule, and for anyone lining up tickets or membership options already on sale, it is another reminder that following the Wild is becoming as much about where and when to watch as it is about what happens on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Dylan Larkin Hopes Could Shift Again Because Of Detroits Search
The Wilds interest in Dylan Larkin has run into the kind of delay that can change a market fast: Detroits search for new leadership. Minnesota has had Larkin on its radar in trade conversations, but any meaningful movement has been slowed as the Red Wings sort through management changes and reset the direction of the franchise. For a team like the Wild, that means the timeline is less about when a deal gets done and more about who in Detroit ends up making the calls.
Andrew Thomas, a former member of the Wild front office, is reportedly among the candidates being considered for the Red Wings general manager job, and his presence adds another layer to the situation. His analytics background and past ties to Minnesota could shape how Detroit weighs Larkins trade request and what it asks in return, especially if the new regime wants a different kind of return than the one the Wild are hoping to offer. For now, the piece that matters most for Minnesota is still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Linked To A Trade Chase That Could Transform Their Top Six
The Wilds own contract chatter has been relatively quiet, but the bigger ripple across the league is how slowly talks are moving for Quinn Hughes. There still have not been any significant negotiations reported, which leaves Minnesota in the familiar spot of waiting on a situation that could shape its blue line and influence how aggressively the front office approaches the rest of the market.
Around the same time, another name has started to pull more attention in Edmonton. The Oilers are being linked to a possible trade chase for Matvei Michkov, a kind of swing-for-the-fences move that could alter the complexion of their top six if it ever gets real. For Minnesota, it is the sort of development worth watching because one front office hesitating and another one hunting for a major offensive upgrade can quickly change how the trade board looks for everyone else. [Read more 🡒]