Dylan Larkin was on Montreal's radar, but Martin St-Louis and the Canadiens now have another major center in their sights.
Nick Kypreos reported in his first Sportsnet trade board of the season that Montreal made a run at Larkin during the offseason. The pursuit went nowhere.
That has apparently pushed the Canadiens toward Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, a proven top-six option who could give Montreal another major piece down the middle.
"The Canadiens are among the teams asking about Scheifele after failing on Larkin," Kypreos wrote. "They have their eye on him as the perfect 1-2 punch to support top line centre Nick Suzuki."
The Larkin angle carries its own complication. Multiple reports have indicated the Detroit Red Wings captain wasn't interested in moving north of the border.
Larkin "has no desire to play for a Canadian team," according to the reporting surrounding his situation, matching the American destinations initially included on his trade list.
Montreal keeps looking for another center
Elliotte Friedman reported last week that Larkin's list of acceptable destinations had expanded from the original 3 teams to roughly 8.
David Pagnotta has also reported that Montreal remains among the clubs checking on Larkin's situation, keeping the Canadiens connected even after their offseason attempt failed.
But there has been no indication that Larkin has changed his position on Montreal specifically. The Canadiens' reported interest in Scheifele gives them another route.
Scheifele would also arrive with history in Montreal. His most memorable Canadiens moment came during the 2021 playoffs after his hit on Jake Evans resulted in a suspension.
He then watched from the press box as Montreal completed its sweep of Winnipeg, ending the Jets' postseason run.
Years later, the dynamic could take a dramatic turn. Instead of being remembered only as an opponent in Montreal, Scheifele is now being linked to a Canadiens roster looking for another major center behind Nick Suzuki.
Should the Canadiens pursue Mark Scheifele after missing on Dylan Larkin?
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