The possibility of Dylan Larkin ending up in Montreal just got a little less far-fetched.
On Monday’s edition of 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Detroit Red Wings center could be more open to adding the Montreal Canadiens to his trade list than he once was. Friedman was blunt about how much the landscape has shifted.
"There's a time I would have said there was zero possibility this could happen. Zero. I think the line has moved," Friedman said.
Friedman pointed to the reaction Larkin got at the Bell Centre when the Red Wings were in town as one reason his stance may have changed. Canadiens fans chanted Larkin’s name, and that reception appears to have made an impression.
Larkin has had a uneven start to the season, recording one goal and four assists for five points in nine games. The Michigan native is coming off the best scoring year of his career, finishing with 34 goals and 33 assists for 67 points in 74 games.
Friedman added that Larkin is pushing to get something done and move on from Detroit. He said the 30-year-old has already expanded his preferred destination list to 10 teams, and Montreal could be added if a deal still doesn’t come together.
There are also signs the two clubs are doing their homework on one another. The Canadiens and Red Wings have reportedly sent pro scouts to each other’s games, which suggests Detroit is trying to figure out what kind of return it could demand for Larkin.
From Montreal’s side, Friedman said the key is simple: put together an offer Detroit can’t turn down, even if the Canadiens aren’t currently on Larkin’s list. He framed it from the perspective of Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff, saying "you're not on the list, but you may have something I want, and if you can give me something that I like, or a deal that I would be willing to make."
"Montreal and Detroit would have to agree on a trade, and then Detroit would have to go to Larkin and say, 'Look, we've got a deal here for Montreal,'" Friedman explained.
Multiple reports, along with Friedman’s update, say Detroit is looking for young centers in any trade package. Montreal has a number of pieces it could potentially move, including pending restricted free agent Oliver Kapanen, Alexander Zharovsky, Michael Hage and Owen Beck.
That leaves the Canadiens with a straightforward task and a major decision. If Kent Hughes decides to go big, Montreal could try to sway Larkin into widening his list and finally fill the second-line center need it has been chasing.
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