The Montreal Canadiens are not expected to acquire one of their top offseason targets in the near future. There is no secret that Montreal general manager Kent Hughes wants to add another quality forward to his roster. While the Canadiens have a solid young lineup, they do lack a true second-line center. Because of this, Hughes has been searching to make a major trade.
One player recently linked with a potential move to Montreal is Dylan Larkin. The Detroit Red Wings captain previously requested a move out of town, yet a deal has not yet materialized. Not only do the Canadiens want a player in his position, but Larkin also fueled speculation regarding a link to Montreal. The Red Wings captain was recently seen at the FIFA World Cup with Canadiens blueliner Cole Caufield.
Despite the connection, NHL journalist Marco D’Amico has poured cold water on Larkin joining the Montreal Canadiens. “They practice together quite often in the summer in Ann Arbor as well,” D’Amico said of Larkin and Caufield on his most recent podcast. “There are those even around Dylan Larkin that wish he would consider Montreal, but that’s not happening at this time.”
The insider continued to predict that Larkin will ultimately remain with the Red Wings. Detroit is wrapping up its search for a new GM after firing Steve Yzerman earlier this summer. Larkin’s main issue with his current club mostly involved Yzerman. The center has five more years remaining on his massive $69.6 million ($8.7 million AAV) contract.
Montreal Canadiens Viewed as Perfect Destination for Dylan Larkin
The links between Larkin and the Montreal Canadiens were recently made by Renaud Lavoie and Mike Johnson. Lavoie, a respected journalist with TVA Sports, essentially pleaded with the Red Wings captain to add Montreal to his wish list. “Dylan Larkin, if you’re ready to be traded, Montreal will be ready to welcome you as a city and as a hockey team,” said Lavoie, as reported by DansLesCoulisses. “You just have to put your name forward, and it could be settled extremely quickly.”
Johnson, a former Montreal Canadiens player, also recently claimed that the club targeting Larkin “makes a lot of sense” during an appearance on the NHL Network. For now, the star center is only interested in joining the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, or Dallas Stars. Nevertheless, Detroit reporter Ansar Khan recently hinted that Minnesota is the only team to show real interest in the forward. The Wild, however, do not have the assets to appease the Red Wings.
Montreal Will Have to Turn to Other Options
Not only would the Montreal Canadiens be interested in landing Larkin, but Hughes and Co. have quality assets to strike a deal. Montreal has fairly significant cap space and one of the top prospect pools in the NHL. Nevertheless, it seems highly unlikely that the Red Wings captain will add a Canadian team to his destination list.
Canadiens fans, however, should not panic. The club’s future is bright, and there are other quality forwards on the trade block. Montreal has been heavily linked with Columbus Blue Jackets star Kirill Marchenko. Columbus, along with the Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils, is expected to offload a forward in the coming weeks.
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