The Dylan Larkin trade rumors refuse to disappear, and the latest destination being connected to the Detroit Red Wings captain is one that deserves a closer look: the Montreal Canadiens.
Larkin’s desire for a change of scenery is no longer speculation. Detroit confirmed earlier this summer that Larkin’s agent informed the organization that the longtime Red Wings center wanted to be traded. General manager Steve Yzerman also made it clear at the time that Detroit would not simply guarantee a deal because Larkin requested one.
What makes Montreal interesting is that the hockey fit is surprisingly clean. TSN’s Bryan Hayes has repeatedly identified the Canadiens as a destination that makes sense for Larkin, particularly because Montreal could slot him behind Nick Suzuki and immediately create one of the stronger one-two center combinations in the Eastern Conference. Recent reporting has again pushed that Montreal-Larkin connection into the NHL rumor conversation.
And unlike many hypothetical blockbuster trades, Montreal could actually make the money work.
PuckPedia currently projects the Canadiens with approximately $9.78 million in 2026-27 cap space. Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit, meaning Montreal could technically absorb his contract without Detroit retaining salary.
There is, however, one enormous complication: Larkin controls where he goes.
Why Dylan Larkin Makes Sense for the Montreal Canadiens
From my perspective, this is exactly the type of move Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes should at least investigate.
Montreal no longer looks like a rebuilding team collecting assets and waiting for prospects to develop. Nick Suzuki exploded for 101 points last season, Cole Caufield scored 51 goals, Juraj Slafkovsky produced 73 points and Ivan Demidov added 62 as a 20-year-old. The Canadiens suddenly have legitimate offensive firepower.
Adding Larkin would address one of the roster’s most obvious opportunities: creating another dangerous scoring line without asking Suzuki to carry virtually every difficult offensive assignment.
Imagine Larkin centering Demidov on Montreal’s second line while Suzuki continues driving the top unit.
That changes the matchup problem entirely.
Larkin is also coming off another productive season with the Detroit Red Wings. He scored 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games, averaged 20:11 of ice time and won 52.9 percent of his faceoffs. He has now produced 643 points through 808 career NHL games.
Larkin’s contract is also easier to justify today than when he originally signed it. His $8.7 million cap hit represents roughly 8.37 percent of the NHL’s $104 million 2026-27 ceiling, and that percentage should continue declining if the cap rises. His deal runs through 2030-31.
That matters because Montreal would not be trading premium assets for a rental. The Canadiens would be acquiring a legitimate top-six center for five more seasons.
The Biggest Obstacle: Dylan Larkin Controls His Trade Destination
This is where the Montreal Canadiens trade rumors become complicated.
Larkin’s contract contains full no-trade protection at this stage, and recent reporting has indicated that his preferred list has been extremely short, with Florida, Minnesota, Vegas and Dallas among the destinations he would consider. Montreal has not been reported as being on that list.
That is the single biggest reason I would stop short of calling the Canadiens a legitimate trade frontrunner.
There is a difference between “Montreal makes sense” and “Montreal and Detroit are discussing a trade.”</em>
Right now, the evidence supports the first statement, not the second.
NHLTradeRumor.com has not independently confirmed that the Canadiens have made a trade offer for Larkin or that Detroit and Montreal are actively negotiating. There are also no original agent, scout or team-source quotes included here because I do not have independently obtained comments from those parties. That distinction is important.
What has changed since the original trade reports, however, is that Larkin remains a Red Wing. His request was confirmed in June, Detroit did not immediately move him, and the situation remains unresolved as training camp approaches. That confirms the original reporting that Larkin wanted a trade, while the eventual destination remains unknown.
My read is that Montreal should be willing to explore the possibility but should not sacrifice the core of its young roster simply because Larkin is available. The Canadiens’ leverage comes from having cap flexibility, draft capital and young assets. Hughes does not need to force the move.
If Larkin were willing to expand his destination list, though, Montreal would suddenly become one of the more fascinating teams in the conversation.
A Suzuki-Larkin combination down the middle, with Caufield, Slafkovsky and Demidov on the wings and Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson driving offense from the blue line, would accelerate Montreal’s transition from rising team to legitimate contender.
That is why the Dylan Larkin-to-Montreal conversation is worth watching even if a trade is far from guaranteed.
Dylan Larkin Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 808 | 276 | 367 | 643 | -100 |
| Playoffs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 |
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