Two stars want out, and the NHL has talked about little else this week. Dylan Larkin stopped playing for the Red Wings and was suspended, and Nikita Kucherov told the Lightning he will not re-sign and asked for a trade. Here is where both situations stand, what they mean for the Canadiens, and the other stories we are following around the league.

Larkin Sits Out and Is Suspended

Larkin decided he will not play for Detroit anymore, and the Red Wings suspended him without pay on Thursday, Oct. 29. He asked for a trade in May, lost the captaincy before training camp, and has a no-trade clause, so he controls where he can go. His list has 10 teams, and none of them is in Canada. Every day of the suspension costs him $41,237, which is more than $150,000 so far.

Detroit says it is prepared to wait as long as necessary to get the right return. With that much money on the line for Larkin, we expect a deal soon, possibly this week.

Who Could Get Larkin?

Minnesota has been the main suitor for weeks, with reports of an offer built around forward Danila Yurov and two or three first-round picks. Now the Capitals are strongly linked too. A deal with Washington would likely be centered on young forward Ilya Protas and multiple picks, and Carolina is also described as a persistent suitor.

The price is high. Detroit reportedly wants two top prospects, a top-nine forward who can play in the NHL right now, and a first-round pick. That is three or four pieces for a 30-year-old center, which is why the Red Wings are not in a hurry.

Can the Canadiens Get Larkin?

Not really. Montreal is not on Larkin’s list, and reports say that while Detroit is keeping an eye on the Canadiens, nothing serious is happening between the two teams. For a deal to happen, Larkin would have to add Montreal to his list and accept the trade. He does not want to play in Canada, and we do not see him changing his mind.

Kucherov Will Not Re-Sign in Tampa

If Larkin was big news, Kucherov was even bigger. On Friday night, Oct. 30, Kucherov and his agent told the Lightning that he will not sign a new contract and asked for a trade. He is 33, in the final year of his contract, and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. In our view he is one of the five best players in the NHL, so the news shook the league.

Reports say Kucherov wants about $20 million per season for six years. Tampa reportedly offered $13 million per season, then $15 million, and the two sides are far apart. The same day, the Lightning general manager said the team has no intention of trading him. Unlike Larkin, Kucherov is reportedly open to playing in Canada, with Montreal and Toronto mentioned.

Where Does This Go From Here?

What makes this case unusual is the team involved. The Lightning win, they are well run, and they play in a warm-weather market with no state income tax. Players usually ask to get to teams like Tampa, not away from them, so something clearly happened behind the scenes, and there is no easy way to fix it quickly.

We see three possible paths: the general manager backs down and makes a trade, Kucherov backs down and plays on, or Kucherov follows the Larkin route and sits out to force a deal. He has said he will keep playing while this is sorted out, and he has played so far, but that is hard to keep up if Tampa will not even consider a trade. The second path is the best one for Lightning fans, but a star who is upset about a failed trade request is not an ideal way to go through a season. For the Canadiens, any serious trade conversation starts only if Tampa changes its position.

Will Tampa Trade Kucherov Before the Deadline?

I do not expect Julien BriseBois to trade Kucherov before the trade deadline. Tampa has said it has no intention of moving him, and a contender does not give up one of the top players in the league in the middle of a season.

Montreal has the assets to make some trades, but not the kind that would satisfy Tampa for a player like Kucherov. The only way a deal works is if the Canadiens are willing to give up some of their top core players, such as Juraj Slafkovsky or Ivan Demidov, and that is a price I do not see them paying.

Who Could Be Traded This Season?

Here are the top players who could be on the move this season:

Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay). The Lightning have not offered the big-money extension he wants, even though he has passed 100 points five times since signing his current deal in 2018. He is proud, he is one of the most dangerous power-play players in the league, and he is looking for a fresh start. If Tampa does move him, his 10-team list matters, and the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs are two of the many teams he would consider.

Dylan Larkin (Detroit). He walked away from the Red Wings hours before the October 29 game to push management on a trade request that is months old, and he loses over $41,000 for every day he stays out. Interest is there, but the best-positioned buyers are not on his list of 10 teams. The Canadiens and the Bruins would be willing if he adds them. He is a strong skating center with five straight 30-goal seasons, so a team will find a spot for him.

Quinn Hughes (Minnesota). Hughes said something could happen soon on a contract extension, but the Wild general manager sounded frustrated when asked about it. The player controls this one. If there is still no deal when the new year starts, Minnesota faces a hard choice, because it paid a big price to get him from Vancouver and could try to get some of that value back instead of risking him walking in free agency.

Alexander Nikishin (Carolina). The contract standoff is over, yet his name keeps circulating, and the word is that the Hurricanes want the value of two first-round picks back. He won the Stanley Cup in his first full NHL season, and he is an all-around defenseman with size and good skating. He will ask for a big raise on his next contract.

Dmitri Voronkov (Columbus). There is a big gap between what he could be and what he is right now. He has a slow start, has been a healthy scratch, and there are questions about his commitment. He is a big forward who wins board battles and has the skill to score 20 goals a year, but he may need a fresh start to put it all together.

Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville). In his 18th NHL season, he still plays top-line minutes for a Predators team that may have to turn over its roster if it does not climb the standings. He is a pending unrestricted free agent, he brings two-way play and a Cup and Conn Smythe on his resume, and his contract is affordable. Contenders will call, and he is a valuable trade piece.

Morgan Frost (Calgary). He had a strong season, passing 20 goals for the first time and playing all 82 games. He is a two-way center and will be one of the younger names in next summer’s free-agent class. The Flames have started talking about an extension, but if the numbers do not make sense they could trade him before the March 1 deadline.

Kucherov and the Canadiens: What to Consider

We looked at the idea in detail in Should the Canadiens Trade for Nikita Kucherov?. Here are the points that weigh the most.

• The cost in return. It will be expensive to get him in a trade, and we are not sure the Canadiens are willing to pay it.
• The contract. At $20 million for six years, the first three seasons could be fine. The last three, when he would be 37, 38 and 39 years old, could become a real problem.
• The core. Honestly, we do not see how or why the Canadiens would get Kucherov and lose one of their top core players.
• His age. This is the biggest factor in the decision.

None of this makes it impossible. But a trade only works for Montreal if the price stays reasonable and the contract does not become a burden in the last years.

Coach’s Take

Many Canadiens fans would love to see Larkin or Kucherov in a Montreal uniform, and I understand why. But the Canadiens are not there yet, and they are not willing to give up a big part of their assets for both players.

Dylan Larkin

The situation is simple: Larkin does not want to play in Canada. Until he changes his mind, the Canadiens will not enter a trade with Detroit. On top of that, Detroit is asking for players the Canadiens do not want to move. My understanding is that Detroit asked for Michael Hage, and Montreal ended the conversation right away.

Nikita Kucherov

Trades involving a reigning MVP are very rare, and Kucherov is a two-time Hart Trophy winner. Yes, he is willing to play in Canada, and the relationship between the Canadiens and his agent, Dan Milstein, is well known. But Montreal is a long way from having the assets Tampa is looking for.

Look at the trade that sent Marchenko to Toronto for Knies: a top-line player came back for a top-line player. We should expect Tampa to ask for a first-line forward right from the start, so the cost will be high, and I do not think the Canadiens are willing to pay it when they prefer to keep their core together.

The second issue is the contract. A new deal for Kucherov is probably more than the Canadiens are ready to pay for a top player at this point. The third issue is the fit. I have some reservations about how Kucherov would fit in the Canadiens’ culture, and I do not see it at this point.

I also do not think Tampa will trade him right away. Tampa is an attractive place to play, and many players would like to go there. My understanding is that a player like Jason Robertson, who can be a free agent next summer, or Quinn Hughes could be targets for the Lightning.

A Team to Watch: New Jersey

One team I am curious about is New Jersey. I do not know if the Devils would be willing to move Bratt, their captain Nico Hischier or Timo Meier, plus some prospects, right after trading for Hellebuyck. I am also not sure how Kucherov would fit under their salary cap.

The Bottom Line

In the end, I do not see the Canadiens going after a player over 30 like Kucherov. The first reason is the cost, the second is his age, and the third is the long-term contract. They would be more open to Larkin, but Larkin does not want to play in Canada. Montreal is sticking with its plan and waiting for the right opportunity that fits inside it.

Around the NHL

• Simon Edvinsson: the Red Wings have talked to his agent, but a deal is not close. Many experts do not understand why Detroit is being so tough with the young defenseman and why they have not traded him. The deadline is December 1: if he is not signed or traded by then, he cannot play for the rest of the season.
• New Jersey Devils: after the Hellebuyck trade, the Devils had a great week and won three of their last four games. They are 9-5-0 and will be in the race with Carolina (12-2-2) for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.
• Edmonton Oilers: maybe the biggest surprise since the start of the season. Connor McDavid has 39 points in 15 games (9 goals, 30 assists) and has a point in every game. The defense was a problem early, but the Oilers have allowed only 1 goal in their last 3 games (4-0, 4-0 and 4-1 wins), and they lead the Pacific Division at 11-2-2.
• Artturi Lehkonen: 12 goals in 14 games for Colorado, tied for second in the NHL. He is in the final year of his contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027, so this is great timing to earn his money. The question is whether he can stay in Colorado.

Goals and Points Are Up

One thing we learned in October is how many players are scoring. Right now, 14 players are on pace for 50 goals, and 20 players are on pace for 100 points. We think there are three reasons: the short training camp, more power plays this season, and lower save percentages for goalies.

What We Are Watching This Week

Where Larkin lands, whether Kucherov’s list of teams becomes public, and whether Edvinsson finally signs in Detroit. We will keep you updated on all three, and we cover the biggest NHL stories every week in our newsletter.

Follow every team race on our NHL standings page, check the cap numbers on the Canadiens contracts page, and read our October monthly report to see how the Canadiens started the season.