The Canadiens may be ready to move off Dylan Larkin and turn their attention elsewhere, but the next name on the board comes with its own hefty complications.
Darren Dreger said on The Morning Show with Connor McKenna and Shaun Starr that Montreal’s pursuit of the Red Wings center has gone cold. “I think the Larkin ship has sailed because he doesn't seem to be willing to reconsider his position on a Canadian team, in this case, the Montreal Canadiens.”
Larkin had been one of the big targets for Kent Hughes if the Canadiens were going to swing for the fences this offseason. That idea now appears to be off the table, and the situation in Detroit has only added to the uncertainty. Larkin holds a no-movement clause, which has limited the teams he would even consider approving a deal for.
With Larkin seemingly out of reach, Montreal is being linked to another established center: Mark Scheifele. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet reported that the Canadiens are among the teams showing interest in the Winnipeg Jets veteran.
The price tag, though, is where things get tricky. Kypreos mentioned possible pieces in a trade package that could include Michael Hage, Oliver Kapanen, Kirby Dach, and perhaps Samuel Montembeault. That last name only fits if Winnipeg also moves Connor Hellebuyck, and Kypreos noted the Jets would not even think about dealing Scheifele until their star goalie is gone.
For Montreal, the idea of Scheifele is easy to understand. He would slot in nicely on the second line between Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov, and the production is still very real. Scheifele put up 87 points in 2024-25, and he posted his first 100-point season last year with 103 points, including 36 goals and 67 assists.
Still, the contract makes this a difficult fit. Scheifele is 33 and has four years left after this season on an $8.5 million AAV deal. Giving up a major prospect, especially Hage, for a player on that kind of money runs against the type of move Hughes has avoided so far.
That’s the heart of it for Montreal: Scheifele would help now, but the cost could handcuff the Canadiens later. And with the team’s Stanley Cup window just beginning to open, that’s a hard gamble to justify.
In Other News...
Kirby Dach Is Giving Canadiens Fans A Reason To Worry
Kirby Dach arrived at Canadiens training camp with plenty still hanging in the balance, and so far the early returns have done little to settle anyone's nerves. The forward has looked short on energy, and that has only sharpened the questions around where he fits in Montreal right now, especially as the club tries to sort out its lineup and determine which players are ready to embrace their roles.
Martin St-Louis, as usual, has chosen restraint over public pressure, sticking to a player-first approach instead of airing concerns in front of the cameras. Still, the situation around Dach is a reminder that talent alone does not guarantee traction, and Montreal has seen enough once-promising players drift into frustration to know how quickly these storylines can turn. For Dach, the next stretch is about proving the effort matches the opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Face A Kirill Marchenko Decision They Can't Let Drag Out
Kirill Marchenkos name is already moving through the rumor mill, and that alone makes him worth watching for a Canadiens team that is always keeping tabs on young scoring talent. Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos has linked Montreal, along with Toronto and Edmonton, to the Columbus winger, who is reportedly interested in leaving the Blue Jackets even though no official trade request has been confirmed.
The timing matters because Marchenko is heading into the final year of his deal with Columbus, which only sharpens the pressure on the Blue Jackets to sort out their plan sooner rather than later. For Montreal, it adds another potential target to a market where proven offense is rarely easy to find, and the longer this situation hangs there, the more it feels like a decision other teams will be waiting to pounce on. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Trade Pursuit Could Reshape Their Center Plan Fast
Montreals search for help down the middle may be getting more aggressive than a typical summer check-in. A report from Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet says the Canadiens have interest in Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele as they look to strengthen their center depth, a pursuit that speaks to how seriously the front office is evaluating the position ahead of next season.
Scheifele would not be a short-term patch, either, with a deal that runs through 2030-31 and a recent season that reminded everyone why he remains such an attractive target. Any conversation of this sort naturally turns to what Montreal would have to move the other way, and the names floating around underline the kind of price the Canadiens may need to consider if they want to change their center picture quickly. [Read more 🡒]