Dylan Larkin has made his stance on the Montreal Canadiens hard to miss, and it leaves Kent Hughes with a simple choice: keep waiting, or move on.
According to the reporting, Larkin is still not open to a trade to Montreal. The Canadiens and every Canadian team remain off his list of approved destinations, and that part of the situation has not changed. He was even booed by Detroit Red Wings fans during the home opener, yet the message still appears to be that he would rather stay in Detroit than accept a move to Montreal.
That is exactly why this is starting to look like more than just a preference. If a player would rather deal with that kind of reaction at home than come to Montreal, it is fair to question whether he is the right fit for the Canadiens’ second-line centre spot.
On paper, Larkin would make sense for Montreal. But the report also makes clear that a good fit on paper is not enough if the player is not willing to come. Even if his list could change in the next few days, the current situation reads like a red flag.
The Canadiens have already been linked to Larkin, with Nick Kypreos reporting that Montreal approached him and he shut the door on the idea. That leaves Hughes in a position where he does not have to wait around.
A team can only push so far for a player. At some point, the decision becomes about who actually wants to be there. And right now, Larkin’s answer seems pretty clear.
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His latest showing came in a comeback win over Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where he was a central part of the push back for Ufa. For Canadiens fans, the appeal is obvious. Zharovsky is not being rushed, and the early swings in production are part of the learning curve the organization seems willing to accept before deciding when the next step to North America makes sense. [Read more 🡒]