Enjoying our trade coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to catch breaking rumors first.
The Dylan Larkin trade rumors involving the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings just became considerably more interesting.
According to TVA Sports reporter Renaud Lavoie, Montreal may not simply have been watching Larkin from a distance. The Canadiens apparently would have been ready to welcome the Detroit center had he been willing to approve Montreal as a destination.
Lavoie delivered the line that should have Canadiens fans paying attention:
“If Larkin agreed to play for the Canadiens, he would be at the golf tournament today.”
In other words, Lavoie believes Larkin could have been with the Canadiens already had he opened the door to Montreal. TVA Sports also reported that people around Larkin discussed Montreal with him during the summer, but the Canadiens still have not been added to his approved destinations.
That does not prove Kent Hughes and Detroit had a completed trade sitting on the table.
But it may tell us something almost as important: Montreal appears to be a legitimate landing spot from the Canadiens’ side of the equation. The biggest obstacle may be Dylan Larkin himself.
And that completely changes how I view this rumor.
Dylan Larkin Trade Rumors Suddenly Feel Much More Real for the Canadiens
For weeks, the easy way to dismiss a Larkin-to-Montreal rumor was simple: the Canadiens might like him, but does Larkin want Montreal?
We now have an increasingly clear answer. At least so far, apparently not.
Larkin requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings following last season, and Detroit confirmed that he supplied a short list of teams to which he would consider waiving his no-trade protection. The 30-year-old will nevertheless report to Red Wings training camp, although Detroit will begin the season without him serving as captain.
Minnesota, Vegas, Florida and possibly Dallas have been among the destinations Larkin would consider. Montreal still hasn’t made the list.
That is why Lavoie’s latest comments matter.
This isn’t simply an analyst inventing a hypothetical fit because Montreal needs another center. The suggestion is that if Larkin were willing to approve the Canadiens, Montreal would be positioned to pursue the transaction seriously.
My read is that Kent Hughes should absolutely remain interested.
Montreal has accumulated enough young talent that it no longer needs to think exclusively like a rebuilding organization. Nick Suzuki is 27. Cole Caufield is 25. Juraj Slafkovsky is 22. Ivan Demidov is 20. At some point, preserving every prospect and draft pick becomes less important than adding the right established player.
Larkin could be that player.
Why Dylan Larkin Fits What the Montreal Canadiens Still Need
Look beyond the trade drama and the hockey fit is obvious.
Larkin has produced 33 goals and 69 points in 68 games in 2023-24, 30 goals and 70 points in 82 games in 2024-25 and 34 goals with 67 points in 74 games last season.
That three-year sample tells me more than one isolated season.
Dylan Larkin: Three-Year Scoring Trend
NHLTradeRumor.com Data Analysis
That’s the part I like most about a potential Montreal fit.
The Canadiens wouldn’t be acquiring Larkin based on a career year they hope he repeats. They would be acquiring a player who has essentially established his range: roughly 30-plus goals and 65-75 points while playing major minutes at center.
Put Larkin behind or alongside Suzuki and suddenly opposing teams have a much more difficult matchup problem.
Montreal could deploy Suzuki and Larkin against different defensive pairs, build two dangerous power-play units and still have Phillip Danault available for defensive assignments.
That looks much closer to the center depth of a serious playoff team.
Can the Canadiens Actually Fit Dylan Larkin Under the Salary Cap?
This is where a potential Dylan Larkin trade becomes more complicated for the Montreal Canadiens.
Larkin carries an $8.7 million annual cap hit through the 2030-31 season. Montreal currently has approximately $4,283,924 in available salary-cap space.
That means the Canadiens could not simply absorb Larkin’s contract as their roster is currently constructed. Montreal would need to create approximately $4.42 million in additional cap space through salary going back to Detroit, another roster move or another applicable cap mechanism.
Canadiens–Larkin Salary Cap Calculator
NHLTradeRumor.com proprietary cap snapshot
That changes the trade equation.
The Canadiens would likely need to send meaningful salary out as part of a Larkin transaction rather than simply absorbing his contract. Clearing roughly $4.42 million is certainly possible, but it would require Kent Hughes to think about both the acquisition cost and the structure of Montreal’s roster after the deal.
Detroit retaining salary would make the transaction easier, but considering Larkin remains under contract through 2030-31, asking the Red Wings to retain millions of dollars annually for five seasons would almost certainly increase Montreal’s acquisition cost.
For that reason, I believe the more realistic scenario would involve Montreal moving salary either directly to Detroit or through another transaction.
The important takeaway is that a Larkin trade is still financially possible for Montreal, but the Canadiens would need to do some legitimate cap maneuvering to make it work.
NHLTradeRumor.com Trade Value Index: What Is Dylan Larkin Actually Worth?
Larkin is a difficult player to value because several forces are pulling in opposite directions.
Detroit has no reason to give away a productive first-line center with five seasons of contractual control remaining. But Larkin’s no-trade protection dramatically affects the Red Wings’ leverage because they can’t simply auction him to all 31 teams.
Then there is age.
Larkin is 30, meaning Montreal would be buying both his immediate prime production and several years of his eventual decline phase.
Here’s how I value him.
NHLTradeRumor.com Trade Value Index
Dylan Larkin · Editorial acquisition model
An 84/100 score tells me Larkin should cost Montreal a premium package.
It does not tell me Kent Hughes should surrender anything Detroit asks for. That distinction matters.
My personal preference would be to avoid a package that simultaneously strips Montreal of one of its very best young assets and an unprotected first-round pick. Larkin is valuable enough to accelerate Montreal’s competitive window, but his age means Hughes still has to protect the club’s long-term upside.
And Detroit’s negotiating position isn’t perfect. Every team removed from Larkin’s approved list removes another possible bidder. If Montreal eventually gets added, Hughes would know that.
Follow the Latest Montreal Canadiens News and Trade Rumors
Stay up to date on the latest Montreal Canadiens news, NHL trade rumors, contract updates and roster moves as the season unfolds. NHLTradeRumor.com tracks the speculation, trade chatter and developing stories that could impact the Canadiens lineup.
While you’re here, join our NHL Fantasy Hockey Pool to test your GM skills against other hockey fans and compete for ultimate bragging rights.
Looking for what channel the Habs game is on TV today? Visit our Montreal Canadiens TV schedule for game times, broadcast information and where to watch.
Bookmark NHLTradeRumor.com and sign up for our newsletter above to get the biggest NHL trade rumors and news delivered directly to you.
