Sabres Push Hard for Larkin, But Star Refuses to Waive No-Move Clause

The Buffalo Sabres made a "pretty big offer" for Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.

That offer was rejected because Larkin refused to waive his no-move clause to join the Sabres.

The report comes from TSN's Chris Johnston, who said on The Chris Johnston Show that the Sabres' push was serious.

Buffalo is not on Larkin's expanded 10-team trade list.

That list includes the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Utah Mammoth, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche.

Larkin started with a three-team list and expanded to 10, but Buffalo never made the cut.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Tuesday on Insider Trading that the Red Wings have yet to receive an offer from any team on Larkin's list that interim GM Shawn Horcoff could take to the player and say, "this is a deal we can make."

Instead, Detroit received an offer from an undisclosed team not on Larkin's list.

Dreger reported that Horcoff is willing to accept that offer.

But Larkin's camp, led by agent Pat Brisson, still believes better offers are out there from teams on his initial list.

Brisson has told the Red Wings no again in recent days, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

The Sabres are one of the teams sitting off that list, along with Montreal, Boston and Los Angeles.

Buffalo ended its playoff drought last season, but that is still just one year of success.

Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, who covers the Sabres, questioned whether Buffalo is even a more attractive option than staying in Detroit.

"I wonder if the Sabres would get on the list if it got to 15 teams?"

Fairburn wrote in a mailbag column.

"Would it take 20? And how much more would the Sabres have to pay for the Red Wings to be compelled to move him within the division?"

Fairburn also warned that the Sabres should be wary about adding a player who essentially needs to be begged to come to Buffalo.

"You don't want to be someone's 15th choice when you're giving up the assets required to get a player like Larkin," he wrote.

The Sabres have more than enough assets to put together a solid offer.

Buffalo has first-round picks in each of the next three years.

The Sabres also have young centers like Zach Benson, Konsta Helenius and Noah Östlund.

They have a potential top-six center option in Josh Norris.

Notable prospects include forward Ilia Morozov and defenseman Radim Mrtka.

If Larkin were to expand his list to include Buffalo, a deal might already be done.

But Larkin's camp has drawn a hard line.

Larkin is in the fourth season of an eight-year, $69.6 million contract signed in 2023.

He has a full no-move clause through the 2027-28 season.

That clause gives him complete control over any potential trade.

The 30-year-old center has 6 points in 10 games this season.

He was suspended without pay on Oct. 29 after telling the team he no longer wanted to be part of the organization.

That suspension remains in effect.

The Sabres made a strong push for Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck before he was dealt to New Jersey.

They may view Larkin as their next top target.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast that some teams are pushing hard to get onto Larkin's trade list.

Friedman cited the Sabres as one of them.

Larkin will need some convincing, but Buffalo appears to be one of the teams on the outside looking to make a massive push to get in.

The Sabres are not alone in their interest.

The Minnesota Wild have been aggressively pursuing Larkin for months.

Nothing has gotten across the line.

Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco reported that the Philadelphia Flyers could broker a three-team deal between the Red Wings and the Wild.

The catch is that Larkin does not have Philadelphia on his 10-team trade list either.

According to Di Marco, Flyers GM Daniel Briere has accepted that Larkin is not coming, but he is willing to act as a facilitator anyway.

Philadelphia would reportedly absorb Wild forward Yakov Trenin, whose cap hit is $3.5 million.

Trenin has 17 games played this season with two assists and no goals.

The Flyers would be open to a deal centered around Wild center prospect Charlie Stramel and a future first-round pick, in exchange for Owen Tippett.

Stramel was the 21st pick in the 2023 draft and has not played an NHL game this season.

Tippett has one goal and one assist through 11 games.

The Red Wings would reportedly receive an impact NHL player among the pieces coming back for Larkin.

The Montreal Canadiens have not gone away either.

Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is reportedly waiting for Larkin to add Montreal to his list of approved destinations.