Dylan Larkin's trade situation with the Detroit Red Wings just picked up an unexpected new name: the Montreal Canadiens.
Larkin remains on Detroit's roster with training camp two weeks away, and Steve Yzerman's resignation as GM back in July left the front office in limbo.
Head coach Todd McLellan reportedly isn't eager to manage this kind of distraction once games actually start.
Back in June, reports had Larkin's approved list limited to three teams: the Florida Panthers, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Minnesota Wild.
All three are expected to contend this season, and all three sit south of the border, which made Montreal's rise in this story genuinely surprising.
According to Renaud Lavoie, Detroit has reportedly identified its new general manager, with an announcement possible as early as Monday or Tuesday.
That hire matters here. Completing any trade becomes far more realistic once an actual decision-maker is in place in Detroit.
Dylan Larkin trade rumors explode as Canadiens emerge from nowhere
A new GM could also reset Detroit's asking price, which had reportedly been a first-line center, a tough ask for a 30-year-old with five years left on his deal.
Montreal's pitch is simple. The Canadiens have a deep pipeline of prospects and draft picks that could appeal to a rebuilding Detroit front office.
There's one real complication. Larkin himself still hasn't added a Canadian team to his list, according to Lavoie's latest reporting on BPM Sports.
The Dallas Stars may have been added recently, but the Canadiens have not, at least not yet.
Lavoie didn't hide how ready Montreal is regardless. "Dylan Larkin, if you're ready to be traded, Montreal will be ready to welcome you," he said.
"You just have to put the name down, and it could get done extremely fast. He checks every box," Lavoie added.
Larkin posted 34 goals and 33 assists for 67 points across 74 games last season, exactly the kind of name that explains Montreal's interest.
Montreal finished last season 48-24-10, good for sixth overall, a roster already positioned to push for more than just a playoff appearance.
Adding a proven number one center like Larkin would only sharpen that timeline, assuming he ever actually says yes to the idea.
It's a bit like turning down a great job because of the commute, except the destination here is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
My take: letting a border keep a team off your list is a strange hill to die on when the alternative is playing out the string in a rebuild.
Would you really turn down a contender in Montreal just because it plays in Canada? That's the exact question reportedly facing Larkin right now.
Nothing is close to official. But a door that looked completely shut in June is now cracked open in a city nobody expected.
Should Dylan Larkin add the Canadiens to his list of approved destinations?
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