Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin hasn’t made it particularly easy on his current team to honor his trade request.
Larkin has a no-trade clause, and he initially included just three teams on an approved trade list. It was always going to be tough for the Red Wings to find an adequate offer from those teams.
The latest reports indicate Larkin has expanded the list to 10 teams, but one is notably not on there: the Buffalo Sabres.
That’s particularly notable on Monday because a report out of Buffalo suggests that the Sabres actually could find a way to line things up for Larkin anyway.
Sabres’ Dylan Larkin Trade Update
Chad DeDominicis, the founder of the Expected Buffalo podcast, broke the news Monday that the Sabres and Larkin could be connected:
Been an interesting morning. I think it’s probably a long shot still and the Sabres are not on the approved 10-team list.
However, there’s some connection with the Sabres and Dylan Larkin. A center should be at the top of their target list. https://t.co/btzvoflv1L
— Chad DeDominicis (@CMDeDominicis) October 26, 2026
He acknowledges right off the bat that the trade list would be a hurdle to clear. Given that Larkin hasn’t wavered on Montreal’s interest, maybe he wouldn’t do it for Buffalo, either — although the Sabres are a United States-based team and have one of Larkin’s Olympic teammates, Tage Thompson.
The Sabres’ best chance is likely if the Larkin saga drags on longer. If he still wants to get traded, and he still hasn’t, maybe he’d open up his list further.
It’s not likely, but as long as Larkin remains with the Red Wings, something still has to give at some point.
@jmfsabre97 Odds I admit are not great but it’s also not 0.
— Chad DeDominicis (@CMDeDominicis) October 26, 2026
A Potential Fit
There is a relatively obvious return fit in a trade: Josh Norris.
Hopefully they get added to his eventually because he’d be a perfect fit
Norris is from Michigan so I doubt they’re on his no trade list and his salary is basically a wash with Larkin
Postava and Augustine are the only goalies under team control for Detroit next season. Could they be a Luukkonen team?
There would need to be other stuff of quality added but I think there’s a match if he adds Buffalo to his list
— Joe Marino (@NotTheJoeMarino) October 26, 2026
There have also been multiple folks posting on social media that Larkin would make sense as a pseudo-replacement for the departed Alex Tuch.
Started at 12 talking about why I think Larkin could be a very good target for the #Sabres to set their sites on
What did Sabres lose in Tuch? Speed, veteran leadership, goalscoring
What does Larkin bring? All of that + some impressive PP numbers
— Owen Parker 🥅 (@OwenP29) October 26, 2026
This isn’t something that seems imminent but rather is just worth watching for Buffalo fans. If news of a Larkin trade list expansion emerges at some point, maybe the Sabres would be in position to pounce.
Sabres on Alert for Dylan Larkin Trade