Story Summary
Dylan Larkin’s situation with the Detroit Red Wings remains unsettled, with Elliotte Friedman reporting that the club have been making enquiries about young centres across the League and in prospect pools. The reporting does not establish whether those calls are connected to a potential Larkin trade, a Simon Edvinsson move, or another route to easing Detroit’s current roster and contract pressure.
Larkin has requested a trade from Detroit and supplied a limited list of destinations for which he would waive his no-trade clause. Montreal has become the most persistent outside link, particularly after Canadiens supporters chanted for Larkin during the Heritage Classic. Friedman suggested that moment had shifted the conversation slightly, while stressing that a Canadiens trade is not yet at the stage where it should be treated as likely.
Edvinsson’s name is also part of the uncertainty. Detroit have been discussing a new contract with the restricted free-agent defenceman, while the club’s interim general manager, Shawn Horcoff, has said publicly that he has no interest in trading him. That makes a completed Edvinsson deal far less substantiated than the wider speculation surrounding Detroit’s search for centres.
Key Facts
- Dylan Larkin requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings and provided a short list of teams for which he would waive his no-trade clause.
- Elliotte Friedman reported that Detroit have asked around the League about young centres, including NHL players and leading prospects.
- The reporting did not establish whether Detroit’s interest in centres is tied to a possible Dylan Larkin trade, Simon Edvinsson, or another transaction.
- Montreal Canadiens supporters chanted for Dylan Larkin during the Heritage Classic, and Friedman said the response had moved the needle slightly on the possibility of Montreal becoming a destination.
- Friedman said a Montreal trade would require the Canadiens and Red Wings to find a deal before taking it to Larkin for approval.
- Shawn Horcoff has said Detroit have zero interest in trading Simon Edvinsson and are working to sign the restricted free-agent defenceman.
IHM Discussion
The important distinction is between activity and resolution. Detroit’s reported enquiries about young centres are meaningful because they indicate the club are testing the market, but they do not identify the player being discussed, the return being sought or a partner close to a deal.
Larkin is the clearer trade-related case because his request and restricted destination list are already established. Montreal is a natural subject of public discussion after the Heritage Classic atmosphere, yet supporter interest is not the same thing as a workable transaction. Detroit would need to see an acceptable hockey return, Montreal would need to be prepared to meet that price, and Larkin would need to approve the destination.
Edvinsson belongs in the conversation for a different reason. His contract situation has created uncertainty, but Detroit’s stated position is emphatic: the club want to retain and sign him. Until that changes, linking the defenceman to the reported search for centres is an inference rather than evidence of active trade talks.
Why It Matters
A centre search can shape a club’s options quickly because the position affects both the present line-up and the longer-term direction of the roster. If Detroit are genuinely canvassing younger NHL centres and major prospects, they are looking beyond a simple short-term exchange.
For Larkin, the limited no-trade list remains central. It narrows the practical market and gives his approval a decisive role in any move. Montreal may be a compelling public fit, but the reported interest has not yet become a confirmed negotiation or an agreement.
For Edvinsson, the immediate hockey significance is different. Detroit regard him as a core defenceman and are pursuing a contract, so the pressure is on finding a signing solution rather than assuming a trade is imminent.
IHM Market Outlook
Detroit’s reported outreach suggests that young centres are the type of asset the club are investigating, whether through an established NHL player or a highly regarded prospect. That gives any Larkin discussion a clearer framework without confirming that he is the player Detroit intend to move.
Montreal remains a reported possibility rather than a destination nearing completion. Larkin’s willingness to waive his clause, Detroit’s valuation and the Canadiens’ willingness to construct a suitable offer would all have to align. Edvinsson should be viewed separately: Detroit’s public stance is that they want a contract, not a trade.
Mini Q&A
Has Dylan Larkin been traded from Detroit?
No. Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, but no completed trade has been confirmed.
Is Montreal a confirmed destination for Dylan Larkin?
No. Montreal has been widely discussed, but Friedman said the situation has not reached the point where a move there should be considered likely.
Are the Red Wings trying to trade Simon Edvinsson?
Detroit’s interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has said the club have zero interest in trading Simon Edvinsson and want to sign him.
Why are young centres part of the discussion?
Detroit have reportedly made enquiries about young NHL centres and top prospects, although it remains unclear which potential transaction those calls concern.
Coach Mark Comment
The phrase that should slow this story down is “young centres”, not Montreal. A club can make broad calls on that position for several reasons, and those calls can be useful even when no transaction is close. Detroit may be gathering information, measuring values or seeing whether an unexpected player is available.
Larkin’s trade request makes every enquiry feel connected to him, which is understandable. But his no-trade protection means a deal cannot simply be built around public excitement in another city. The actual work is more exacting: one club has to offer the right return, Detroit have to accept it, and Larkin has to want the move. Until those three points meet, this is a market conversation rather than a trade in motion.
IHM Final View
There is enough here to justify close attention to Detroit, but not enough to declare a Larkin move or an Edvinsson trade on the way. Larkin remains a genuine trade candidate with Montreal among the teams being discussed, while Detroit’s centre enquiries add context to the club’s thinking. Edvinsson’s case is more restrained: the Red Wings have publicly said they want to sign and keep him. The next meaningful development will be a concrete negotiation, a change in Detroit’s stated position or a confirmed transaction.