Dylan Larkin gave Todd McLellan and the Detroit Red Wings something to think about after an unexpected reception from Montreal Canadiens fans.
The Bell Centre crowd surprised everyone by chanting Larkin's name during Detroit's visit, giving the Red Wings captain a welcome rarely seen for an opposing player.
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Larkin admitted the moment caught him completely off guard. He acknowledged hearing the chants before shifting his attention back to the game.
"It's special. I never could have imagined this in this building," Larkin said, praising Montreal's passionate supporters and calling the Bell Centre one of hockey's best atmospheres.
But the bigger story came afterward, when Sportsnet reporter Eric Engels asked Larkin a question that drew an intriguing response.
"Dylan Larkin on fans chanting his name:
“It was interesting. I never would've imagined that in this building in my career. But they're passionate fans. In my opinion, it's the best atmosphere in hockey, and they're knowledgeable, and they love their team, and that's how I read into it. And after a few seconds, it was just back to focusing on the game.”"
Larkin declined to address the question. Instead, he pointed toward The Athletic's player survey, which ranked Montreal's arena highly among NHL players.
That response immediately caught attention. Larkin didn't confirm any interest in joining the Canadiens, but he also avoided publicly shutting down the possibility.
Montreal supporters certainly made their feelings clear. Their unexpected chants turned an ordinary visit into another talking point surrounding the Detroit captain's future.
The evening was already unusual, featuring three disallowed Canadiens goals and a giant hot dog landing on the ice. Yet Larkin's reception became another memorable moment.
Back in Detroit, Lucas Raymond has maintained that the locker room moved past the outside speculation when training camp opened.
Raymond also indicated that Larkin remains fully committed to the team's direction, with everyone focused on moving forward together.
For the Canadiens, Larkin represents an intriguing potential addition down the middle. His experience and offensive ability would give Montreal another established option at center.
Still, there is no indication that a deal is approaching or that Larkin has requested a move to Montreal.
The Canadiens fans delivered their message. Now they'll be wondering whether that remarkable Bell Centre reception left a lasting impression on Larkin.
Should the Montreal Canadiens make a serious trade push for Dylan Larkin?
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