Dylan Larkin has the Montreal Canadiens knocking, and the Detroit Red Wings forward still isn't willing to open the door.
David Pagnotta said Wednesday on Daily Faceoff Live that the trade request is a complicated situation unless the 30-year-old expands his list.
Then came the line that lit up Montreal. Pagnotta said he has it on pretty good standing that if Larkin and his family say yes, he'd be a Hab a few hours later.
The NHL Rumour Report added more fuel. Montreal has made its interest clear and reportedly presented a compelling offer to Detroit.
The holdup is the player himself. He remains unwilling to waive for Montreal, which leaves Kent Hughes with a strong package sitting in a waiting room.
Picture a homeowner who lists the house, gets a serious offer, then refuses to sign because he can't stand the buyer's street. Welcome to Shawn Horcoff's week.
And the timing is ugly. The Red Wings sit at 1-3-2 with a -6 goal differential, and they've dropped three straight.
Shawn Horcoff's Red Wings can't wait out the Larkin standoff
Last night's 5-4 overtime loss to New Jersey at home summed up the mess. Larkin logged 21:18 of ice time, fired two shots on goal and left without a point.
He has dressed for four of Detroit's six games this season. One goal and one assist is what the club has to show for it.
That's thin production for a forward carrying an $8.7 million cap hit, and it doesn't help Horcoff sell the idea that Detroit can simply ride this out.
The lineup is already short. Marco Kasper and J.T. Compher are both on injured reserve, so Todd McLellan doesn't have spare bodies to cover a distraction.
Alex DeBrincat is carrying the attack with eight points in six games. Nobody else in that room is close.
So who blinks first? Montreal has its own reasons to stay aggressive, sitting at 3-2-1 with two straight wins before tonight's game in Washington.
Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens with eight points. But Ivan Demidov is on injured reserve until at least Oct. 31, and Kirby Dach still hasn't scored through six games.
These two clubs met Saturday in Montreal. The Canadiens took it 1-0 in a shootout, which only sharpens the irony of Detroit possibly feeding a division rival.
Here's where I land. Horcoff shouldn't hand a core forward to a team he'll see all season just because the Canadiens were first to the table with a polished offer.
The ball sits with Larkin's family now. Nobody in either front office can move it for them.
Detroit hosts Philadelphia on Thursday, and every shift the Red Wings play until this is settled comes with a phone line open to Montreal.
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Should Dylan Larkin waive for the Canadiens and accept a trade to Montreal?
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