We now know what the Canadiens offered up in Dylan Larkin trade

The Montreal Canadiens have been busy this offseason, and it seems like Kent Hughes is far from done shaking things up. After falling short in separate bids to land Matthew Knies from the Maple Leafs and Kirill Marchenko from the Blue Jackets, the Habs' front office has quickly pivoted to another high-profile target. With the 2026-27 season barely underway, all eyes in Montreal are now locked on the Motor City and one of its most prominent players.

The Package Montreal Has Been Shopping Around

According to insider Frank Seravalli, the offer that Montreal initially put together for Marchenko was nothing to scoff at. The Canadiens reportedly dangled two forwards and a defenseman from their current NHL roster, a first-round pick, and an additional conditional selection that could also turn into a first-rounder. That is a serious haul by any measure.

However, Hughes drew a hard line in those negotiations. He refused to part with any of his core young pieces, specifically Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, or Cole Caufield. That unwillingness to include a franchise-caliber asset is ultimately what pushed Marchenko to Toronto, where the Leafs were willing to include Knies in their package.

Now, the fascinating part is that this same trade framework appears to be getting recycled and redirected toward the Detroit Red Wings in pursuit of star center Dylan Larkin. One NHL executive was reportedly blunt about the situation, stating that Montreal is the only legitimate Cup contender with the assets necessary to meet Detroit's asking price. Looking at the pieces that were likely in the original Columbus offer, names like Kirby Dach, Oliver Kapanen, Zachary Bolduc, and Alexandre Texier were likely among the forwards on the table, while the defensive piece could have been Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, Adam Engstrom, or possibly even Kaiden Guhle.

One prospect whose name keeps surfacing in connection to a potential Detroit deal is Michael Hage. The young forward is currently playing at the University of Michigan, where he happens to be teammates with Will Horcoff, the son of Red Wings GM Sean Horcoff. That personal connection to Detroit's front office could serve as an interesting facilitator in any trade discussions.

The Larkin Roadblock and What Could Break It Open

There is one significant hurdle standing in the way of this deal. Larkin has not placed Montreal on his list of acceptable trade destinations, and in fact, none of the seven Canadian franchises currently appear on it. That is obviously a major obstacle, but the situation in Detroit is deteriorating rapidly in a way that could change things.

Larkin was loudly booed during player introductions at Detroit's home opener this past weekend, and the hostile reception continued when he returned to game action and hit the ice for his first shift. The relationship between the former captain and the Red Wings fanbase appears to have reached a breaking point. Notably, Larkin's list of approved destinations has already doubled in recent weeks, suggesting that he is gradually becoming more open-minded about where he might end up.

If Larkin were to eventually add Montreal to his list, the impact on the Canadiens' lineup would be enormous. He would fill the team's glaring need for a legitimate second-line center, and Montreal's top six would suddenly feature Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Chris Kreider, Slafkovsky, Larkin, and Demidov. That kind of offensive firepower would immediately vault the Habs into the conversation among the league's elite contenders. Larkin would also join an established American contingent in Montreal that already includes Kreider, Caufield, Lane Hutson, and Struble.

As one league executive put it, Larkin could end the entire saga tomorrow morning simply by adding Montreal to his trade list. Whether the increasingly toxic atmosphere in Detroit and the Canadiens' rising ambitions will be enough to convince him remains to be seen. What is clear is that Kent Hughes has his offer ready and is prepared to pull the trigger the moment the opportunity presents itself.