Sabres make massive trade offer for Dylan Larkin, and he's made his decision
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Chris Johnston says the Sabres made a big offer for Dylan Larkin, but he wasn't willing to waive his no-trade clause for Buffalo.
The Buffalo Sabres went big for Dylan Larkin and still got nowhere.
Insider Chris Johnston revealed on his show Monday that Buffalo recently put a sizable offer on the table, only to hear back that a deal can't happen because Larkin won't approve a move to Buffalo.
"I think the Buffalo Sabres made a pretty big offer at one point here in the last few weeks. But, you know, they were told basically it's just not something they can do because Larkin isn't willing to go there."
- Chris Johnston
- Chris Johnston
Larkin, 30, asked Detroit for a trade back in June.
Steve Yzerman stepped down as general manager in July, the team took the captaincy away from Larkin in September, and Shawn Horcoff now runs hockey operations on an interim basis.
Why Buffalo can't get in the door
Larkin holds a full no-trade clause through the 2027-28 season, which gives him total control over where he lands.
He has since expanded his list of acceptable teams to 10, and Buffalo is not one of them.
That stings for general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who has been hunting for a star addition.
The Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens both have interest in Larkin, according to Johnston's trade board in late October, yet neither team sits on his list.
What happens next for Larkin
Johnston has said Larkin still wants out and that he suspects the eventual destination will be a team outside that group of 10.
Larkin has also reportedly shown some willingness to stretch the list a bit if needed.
Johnston has also suggested half of Larkin's list isn't even chasing him.
Owner Chris Ilitch has said Larkin could be in Detroit all year, and Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit through 2030-31.
That price tag and a five-year runway make any deal tricky, so Buffalo can wait and hope he changes his mind, or the Sabres can simply move on.
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