Canadiens have their Dylan Larkin trade offer ready, but one step remains
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Montreal has an offer ready for Detroit that could close a Dylan Larkin trade, but the Red Wings center still hasn't approved a move to the Canadiens.
The Montreal Canadiens are reportedly ready to make their move for Dylan Larkin.
Insider David Pagnotta of Daily Faceoff said Wednesday that Montreal has an offer ready to present to Detroit, and the team believes it can carry a deal to the finish line or right over it.
There is a catch, and it's the same one that has stalled everything.
NHL Rumour Report added that both clubs more or less know what a deal would look like, but Larkin still hasn't given his approval.
David Pagnotta: Re Dylan Larkin: "I think Montreal has an offer that they're ready to present to Detroit that they believe will either get them right to the finish line or over the finish line."
NHLRR: It's believed both teams more or less have a ballpark of what a deal would look like, but still don't have Larkin's approval.
NHLRR: It's believed both teams more or less have a ballpark of what a deal would look like, but still don't have Larkin's approval.
Why Larkin holds all the cards
Larkin has a full no-trade clause, so he controls where he ends up.
He asked Detroit for a trade back in June, and the Red Wings took the captaincy away from him before camp.
The 30-year-old has stayed in the lineup in the meantime.
Money adds another layer. His $8.7 million cap hit runs through 2030-31, and Pagnotta noted that most teams on Larkin's list don't have the space to absorb it.
That's why a motivated suitor with a ready offer stands out.
What Detroit wants in return
The details of the offer haven't come out yet.
Earlier reports suggested Detroit wanted a younger version of Larkin along with extra pieces to help the team get back into contention quickly.
Montreal needs a center, so the fit makes sense.
Fans in Montreal have made their feelings known too.
They chanted for Larkin throughout Detroit's visit to the Bell Centre last week.
Pagnotta said Larkin would be a Canadien within hours of saying yes, but that call belongs to him and his family.
Detroit hosts Philadelphia on Thursday, and the standoff still comes down to one answer from Larkin.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Major coaching decision made after Matthew Mayich's workout collapse at ASU
Major coaching decision made after Matthew Mayich's workout collapse at ASU