A stalled Dylan Larkin trade market has at least left one new possibility hanging in the air: Montreal.
On his podcast, The Sheet, Jeff Marek floated the Canadiens as a possible destination for the Red Wings center, alongside the Boston Bruins. It’s not a suggestion that changes the market overnight, but it does keep Montreal in the conversation as the trade picture around Larkin drags on.
Right now, the teams sitting at the front of the line are the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. Even with that group in place, the process doesn’t seem to be moving anywhere fast. Larkin is still in Detroit, and at some point he may have to widen the list of teams he’d be willing to join in a deal.
The situation is made trickier by the absence of the Red Wings’ general manager, but there’s another wrinkle worth noting: the connection between Cole Caufield and Larkin. That relationship is part of why Montreal has even been mentioned as a team that could gain some traction if the talks keep bogging down.
Marek’s point is a simple one. The clubs already in the chase all have a first-line center, which changes how they’d value Larkin. From their side, they’d probably prefer to pay the price for an elite second-line center rather than the full cost of a true first-line one.
Detroit, though, is holding firm. The Red Wings are asking for a return that matches the value of a first-line center for their captain, and that gap is a big reason the situation remains stuck.
For Montreal, the attraction is obvious. A center of Larkin’s caliber would give the Canadiens a chance to climb to another level.
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Cole Caufields name keeps coming up whenever the NHLs top right wingers are discussed, and the numbers from last season explain why. He finished with 88 points, ranked third among right wings in scoring, and led the position with 51 goals, a clear sign of how central he has become to Montreals offense.
Even without a spot on the U.S. national team for recent international tournaments, Caufields production has put him squarely in the conversation for NHL Networks Top 20 Right Now Wingers list. His power-play touch and knack for scoring timely goals have made him one of the Canadiens most dangerous weapons, and the only real question now is how high the league is willing to place him among the games elite. [Read more 🡒]
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For Montreal, the appeal is obvious: a player like Smith could step into a professional tryout and show whether there is still enough left in the tank to help the bottom six contribute more consistently. Nothing formal has been reported yet, and there is no agreement or offer on the table, but the Canadiens are at least being linked to a veteran who could bring both scoring touch and playoff seasoning if the fit makes sense. [Read more 🡒]