Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman said Monday on the 32 Thoughts podcast that a Dylan Larkin trade to the Montreal Canadiens has become more realistic, even though Montreal is not among the 10 teams Larkin has approved. The report is unconfirmed: the Red Wings have not announced any deal or commented on talks, and Friedman said nothing appears imminent.

Friedman said there was a time he would have ruled out Montreal entirely. “I think the line has moved,” he said, crediting in part the reception Larkin got at the Bell Centre on Oct. 10, when Canadiens fans chanted his name during Detroit’s 1-0 shootout loss. He described Larkin as eager to get a trade done and said the Red Wings forward could add more teams to his list.

The path he laid out runs through Detroit first. Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff would need to agree on a package with Canadiens GM Kent Hughes, and only then take it to Larkin, who holds the final say through his trade protection. In other words, Montreal would have to work backward, building an offer strong enough that Detroit brings it to Larkin, and Friedman said the Red Wings remain focused on young centers in any return. The Hockey News, summarizing the podcast, said Friedman also suggested Detroit may now be more open to Wild prospect Danila Yurov than it had been.

The comments fit a broader picture of a market that is active but stuck. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos wrote in his trade board last week that Detroit has several offers it considers fair but is holding out for more, and other insiders have continued to describe Minnesota as the front-runner. Mitten Hockey reported on Oct. 24 that The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun said Detroit had been scouting the Canadiens in case Larkin adds them to his list, and on Oct. 23 that talks with Minnesota had stalled over Yurov.

Larkin requested a trade in June and has since expanded his approved list to 10 teams: Minnesota, Florida, Vegas, Dallas, Carolina, Colorado, New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Utah, and Washington. The Red Wings closed their four-game western road trip in Edmonton on Monday night.

Sources

• A Winning Habit: Elliotte Friedman says “line has moved” on Dylan Larkin trade to Montreal Canadiens (Oct. 26, 2026)
• The Hockey Writers: NHL Rumors: Hellebuyck Has More to Say, Nikishin Timing, Only One Way Montreal Gets Larkin (Oct. 26, 2026)
• The Hockey News: NHL Insiders Believe Wild Still Favorites to Land Dylan Larkin, Habs Closing In Fast (Oct. 26, 2026)
• Detroit Sports Nation: Red Wings Reportedly Sitting on Multiple Dylan Larkin Trade Offers (Oct. 26, 2026), citing Nick Kypreos, Sportsnet
• Markerzone: Friedman says Canadiens fans’ Larkin chants “moved the needle,” but nothing is close (Oct. 26, 2026)

Correction (November 2, 2026): This story originally referred to Larkin as the Red Wings’ captain and said he requested a trade in May. Detroit removed him as captain on Sept. 11, and his trade request was reported in June. It has been corrected.