Dylan Larkin’s name is back in the Montreal Canadiens conversation, and on paper it’s easy to see why the fit keeps coming up.
The Canadiens have spent the last couple of years tied to plenty of big names, but Larkin stands out because he checks so many boxes for Montreal. The problem is that the biggest box is also the one the Canadiens can’t control.
Since the end of the 2025-26 season, Larkin’s future with the Detroit Red Wings has been in doubt after reports surfaced that he had asked for a trade. But any team hoping to land him has to deal with the fact that he controls where he goes.
According to the reports, Larkin initially gave Detroit three places he would accept a move to: the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers. The Dallas Stars were later added to that list. Montreal was not included, and that’s the obvious roadblock to any serious Canadiens pursuit.
Still, the hockey fit is hard to ignore. Nick Suzuki is already in place as Montreal’s top centre, but adding Larkin behind him would give the Canadiens one of the most dangerous one-two punches down the middle in the Eastern Conference. He could also be a strong match with Ivan Demidov, giving Montreal another high-end centre option to work with as the roster keeps taking shape.
There’s no need for the Canadiens to force anything, either. Their young core is still developing, and the organization doesn’t have to rush into a blockbuster just because one is available. But there’s a difference between needing help and getting the chance to add a player who could push the team closer to Stanley Cup contention right away.
The cap situation helps explain why the rumour has legs. Montreal has roughly $9.7 million in available space, which means it could take on Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit without Detroit retaining salary. His deal also runs through the 2030-31 season at an $8.7 million average annual value, a number that could look even better as the salary cap keeps rising and star contracts continue climbing.
Even so, this is where the conversation gets tricky. Larkin has a full no-trade clause, so Detroit can’t just ship him to the highest bidder. He has to approve the destination, and unless Montreal gets onto that list, there’s nothing to negotiate.
And even if Montreal were to become an acceptable landing spot, the price would be steep. Larkin is still one of Detroit’s most valuable players, and the Red Wings have little reason to settle for a light return.
With multiple appealing destinations potentially in play, Detroit would almost certainly ask for a major package. For the Canadiens, that could mean a premium prospect, a first-round pick and another established player.
At some point, Kent Hughes would have to decide whether the upgrade is worth cutting into the future.
That’s the tension here. A Suzuki-Larkin center duo, with Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Demidov around them, would give Montreal a formidable offensive core. But the Canadiens have built this position by being patient and protecting their young assets, and they can’t abandon that approach just because a star is available.
So the Larkin talk is real enough to monitor. Montreal has the cap space, the roster fit and the resources to make sense in the discussion. The only question that matters most is the one the Canadiens can’t answer themselves: would Larkin even want Montreal?
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One route is a veteran free agent who can step into a penalty-killing role without a long adjustment period, but that search is unfolding while other roster chatter keeps circulating around the league. Montreal prospect Adam Engstrom has already been mentioned in trade talks, and with Vancouver reportedly weighing bigger changes involving Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser, theres no shortage of moving parts for teams trying to shape the next version of their lineup. [Read more 🡒]