A warm night at the Bell Centre may not have closed the Dylan Larkin debate, but it appears to have nudged it in Montreal’s favor.
Elliotte Friedman believes the reaction Larkin got from Canadiens fans last week could have changed the tone, even if it still might not be enough to land him. The crowd made its point loud and clear, chanting “We want Larkin” while the Red Wings were in town, and the moment clearly stuck with the Detroit captain.
After the game, Larkin responded with appreciation. He called the atmosphere special, said he never imagined experiencing anything like it in that building, and even labeled the Bell Centre as one of hockey's best arenas.
That kind of public admiration matters because this is no ordinary trade situation. Larkin, a 30-year-old who has asked the Red Wings to move him, carries an $8.7 million cap hit and has three points in five games this season.
Detroit, meanwhile, is still trying to find its footing. The Red Wings are 2-3-2 and averaging 2.3 goals per game, though Thursday’s 2-1 win over Philadelphia brought a little relief.
Montreal is still listed on Larkin’s 10-team no-trade list, according to Pierre LeBrun, but Friedman sees a small shift there. Not a guarantee.
Not a done deal. Just enough to give the Canadiens their most encouraging development of the week.
The fit is obvious on Montreal’s end. The Canadiens are 3-3-1 and still looking for help down the middle. Alex Newhook has done his part with four points in seven games, but Kent Hughes is still in the market for an upgrade.
The fans made their pitch. Now the rest is out of Montreal’s hands. A door has opened.
In Other News...
Canadiens Win Exposed A Sabres Problem Fans Have Seen Before
The Sabres have made a habit of flirting with disaster, and the latest example came in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal after Buffalo clawed its way back into the game. There are signs of progress in spots, with Jack Quinn, Josh Doan and Josh Norris all showing better form, but the bigger picture still looks familiar: too much inconsistency, too little clean defensive hockey, and not enough margin for error when the game tightens.
What has made the trend harder to ignore is how often Buffalo has had to lean on late rallies just to collect points. That approach can keep a team afloat for a night, but it is not a recipe for staying competitive over the long haul, especially when the margins are so thin in the standings. The Canadiens exposed that reality again, leaving the Sabres with another reminder that the comeback formula only works so many times before it catches up. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Came Shockingly Close To A Franchise What-If With Brett Hull
Brett Hull recently reopened one of the more fascinating what-ifs in Canadiens history, saying he was very close to signing with Montreal in 2001 before ending up in Detroit instead. The timing alone makes it intriguing for Canadiens fans, since Hull was still a proven scorer with a chance to alter the direction of the franchise, even if landing him would not have guaranteed instant contention.
On a podcast, Hull recounted the kind of recruiting pitch that makes these stories linger, including a conversation with Canadiens icon Jean Bliveau as Montreal tried to make its case. What tipped the balance away from the Canadiens was a late push from Detroit, and Hull wound up with the Red Wings, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2002 instead of becoming part of a very different Montreal chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Costly Dylan Larkin Decision With No Easy Answer
Any conversation about Dylan Larkin and Montreal quickly runs into the same hard question: what is the price, and is it worth paying? The discussion centers on a hypothetical framework that would send multiple assets to Detroit, with salary-cap realities looming over the Canadiens side of the equation. No official offer has been made, no deal has been confirmed, and for now it remains exactly what it is - a scenario being weighed more than a negotiation taking shape.
The biggest obstacle in that kind of proposal is Michael Hage, the prospect Detroit would reportedly want first if talks ever moved beyond the speculative stage. That alone makes the exercise delicate for Montreal, which has to decide how much future value it is willing to sacrifice for immediate help. And even before the Canadiens get to that internal debate, there is still another hurdle in the background: Pierre LeBrun has reported that Larkin has not added Montreal to his list of approved destinations. [Read more 🡒]