The Bell Centre had a little extra buzz tonight, and not just because of what was happening on the ice.
Andrei Markov got the kind of reception that tells you everything you need to know about how Canadiens fans still feel about him. When the former Montreal defenseman appeared on the jumbotron and waved to the crowd, the building answered with a standing ovation and a loud, warm welcome back.
Another recognizable face also turned heads from a different perch. Red Wings assistant GM Kris Draper was seen in the press box in Montreal, and that immediately invited a second layer of attention.
Draper’s role with Detroit goes beyond his assistant GM title, since he also serves as the team’s director of amateur scouting. His trip to the Bell Centre became even more notable given the chatter around Dylan Larkin, with trade talks reportedly ongoing and some believing a move could happen within days.
Detroit’s second-in-command being in Montreal is the sort of detail that gets people talking, especially after Red Wings pro scout Chris Yzerman was spotted there on Saturday.
According to Darren Dreger, Detroit is asking for a significant package for Larkin, including two top prospects.
Michael Hage, who plays at the University of Michigan, is the name that keeps coming up most often. Still, that is only one of the possibilities at this point, and the idea of Montreal including him in any deal is not sitting well with everyone.
Larkin is 30 and has three points in six games for the Red Wings, who are 3-3-2. His $8.7 million contract runs through 2031, and he has the ability to block a trade to Montreal.
As for the Canadiens, they entered the night at 4-3-1 and were wrapping up their final home game before a four-game road trip.
In Other News...
Canadiens Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away Late
The Canadiens had enough through two periods to feel in control, with their top line driving the offense and Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each finishing with a goal and an assist. For a team trying to stack wins and turn promising starts into points, a 3-1 lead heading into the third period looked like the kind of game it needed to close out.
Instead, the third period turned into the latest reminder that nothing comes easy for Montreal right now. San Jose chipped away, erased the cushion and eventually finished the comeback in overtime, leaving the Canadiens with another result that will sting because the opportunity was there for the taking. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Could Get Caught In Winnipegs Goalie Drama Fast
Connor Hellebuycks standoff with the Winnipeg Jets has created a situation Montreal has to keep an eye on, even if it is not directly involved. The veteran goalie was suspended for failing to report to training camp, and with that suspension set to run out on Friday, Winnipeg suddenly faces a short-term decision on how to handle one of the biggest names on its roster.
The Jets appear hesitant to simply fold Hellebuyck back into the mix, and the possibility of a trade before Sundays meeting with the Canadiens adds another layer to a divisional matchup that was already worth watching. Montreal is monitoring the situation because any move involving Hellebuyck could ripple into the game plan for both teams, and the timing leaves Winnipeg with little room to sort out what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Harsh Reality In Dylan Larkin Rumors
Dylan Larkins trade request out of Detroit has quickly turned into one of those situations that tells you as much about the process as it does about the player. What began as a tightly controlled list of preferred destinations has now grown, and the change has sparked plenty of debate around how the request was handled in the first place. On TSN OverDrive, a panel took aim at Larkin and his camp for mismanaging the ask by narrowing the field so aggressively before needing to broaden it again.
For Montreal, the wrinkle is obvious: this is the kind of star-center conversation the Canadiens would normally be watching closely, especially with trade speculation already swirling around the league. But with no confirmed deal and no real clarity on where this ends up, the story has become less about the player movement itself and more about the limits of leverage once a request goes public. The Canadiens can monitor the market, but for now they are stuck waiting on a situation that has already shifted once and could shift again. [Read more 🡒]