Larkin Unwillingness To Expand Trade List To Include Sabres A Sign Of A Lingering Issue

The most popular topics of NHL Insiders since the Connor Hellebuyck saga was resolved are the situations involving Nikita Kucherov, RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson, and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin. The first two players have no connection or interest involving the Buffalo Sabres, but Larkin is a player that Buffalo reportedly covets, and his refusal to expand his 10-team trade list is a sign of an issue that plagued former Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and is now affecting GM Jarmo Kekalainen.

Following the Sabres inability or disinterest in acquiring Hellebuyck, Kekalainen reportedly is looking to add scoring depth, and that the Sabres have approached Detroit Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff with an offer for Larkin, but according to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Chris Johnston, and Pierre LeBrun, David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the disgruntled center is not willing to include the Sabres on his list of preferred destinations.    

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LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading on Tuesday that Larkin’s camp was approached by the Wings, who told them they could not find an acceptable deal with the 10 teams provided and that they would like to expand the list by 6 to 8 more teams, which include the Sabres, Montreal, Boston, and Los Angeles. The response from agent Pat Brisson was that they would not expand from 10, since they had already expanded the list from 3 to 10.

The issue for the Sabres that made the Hellebuyck acquisition so attractive was that the Olympic gold-medal hero was willing to waive his no movement clause to come to Buffalo, but with other players like Larkin who have trade protection, making the postseason last season does not erase the stigma of missing the playoffs for 15 years. Larkin is 30 years old and has only made the playoffs once, so he is unwilling to go anywhere other than a team virtually guaranteed to make the postseason. 

This will be a challenge for Kekalainen between now and the NHL trade deadline, as he will not only have to navigate the cost of acquiring help to improve the Sabres playoff chances, but also the players who do not have trade protection. 

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