One of the hottest topics around the NHL has been the possibility of the Montreal Canadiens acquiring Dylan Larkin.
It’s no secret that the Habs, and most certainly the Montreal fans, want the erstwhile Red Wings captain on the team.
But the holdup clearly lies in the fact that the Canadiens are not on Dylan Larkin’s trade list. But that may not necessarily be a problem.
In the most recent edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, insider Elliotte Friedman believes that a trade is possible. But to make it happen, the Canadiens would have to “reverse engineer” the deal. In other words, given the fact that Montreal is not on Larkin’s list, the Habs would have to make an offer to the Red Wings so that Detroit could go to Larkin as him if he would be amenable to go to Montreal.
“What has also happened is managers have said, ‘Look, you’re not on the list, but you may have something I want. And if you can, if you give me something that I like or a deal that I would be willing to make, if you can convince me to go to a player, because a deal is good, I’ll do that.’”
The comments suggest that if the Canadiens have a good deal that Red Wings GM Shawn Horcoff cannot pass up, Horcoff could talk to Larkin’s camp and see if they would be willing to agree to a trade to Montreal.
Friedman Issues Canadiens a Warning on Potential Dylan Larkin Trade
Friedman issued a warning to the Habs on a potential Larkin trade. The insider made it clear that, even if they were able to convince the Red Wings of a deal, there is no guarantee that Larkin would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to head to Montreal.
That’s an interesting point because that’s the ultimate holdup in any potential trade at this point. It doesn’t matter what Montreal has to offer. If Larkin is dead-set on not going to Montreal, there’s really not much the Canadiens can do about it.
However, there has been some speculation that Larkin has at least considered the possibility of playing in Montreal, particularly following the warm reception he got at the Bell Centre a couple of weeks ago.
Larkin and Red Wings Would Like to Get a Deal Over With
There’s one other situation that could work in the Canadiens’ favor.
Friedman made it clear that both Larkin and the Red Wings would like to get this situation over with. Putting it simply: Everyone wants a deal done as soon as possible. Now, that’s a fascinating situation because, like the Connor Hellebuyck situation, there might be a willingness to become more flexible on previous demands.
And if that newfound flexibility means that Larkin would be willing to agree to a trade to Montreal, and the Canadiens are willing to surrender assets that the Red Wings covet, it could make the entire issue much easier to navigate.
Ultimately, there is nothing to suggest that anything is imminent. But the commentary is certainly intriguing insofar as the way things have been playing out around the NHL.
Canadiens Will Have to ‘Reverse Engineer’ Dylan Larkin Trade