Mason McTavish and Dylan Larkin Linked in Ducks Trade — Dans Les Coulisses
Dans les coulisses, the Ducks have surfaced as one of the teams aggressively trying to acquire Dylan Larkin, and Mason McTavish would likely sit at the center of any Anaheim deal. The report connects two centers who have been circulating around Kent Hughes since the start of the offseason, with McTavish viewed as the likelier path to Montreal.
Murphy Links Anaheim to Larkin
Jimmy Murphy said Anaheim is among the teams pushing hard for Larkin. He also said any Ducks transaction would likely require McTavish as the basis of the exchange, which turns a simple pursuit into a heavy roster decision for a club already tied to major long-term salary questions.
Murphy framed the possibility directly in a June 17, 2026 post: “Could #GoHabsGo trade target Mason McTavish be part of a #FlyTogether trade for #LGRW captain Dylan Larkin?” That wording puts McTavish and Larkin on the same trade board, with Anaheim not just monitoring the market but actively trying to shape it.
Kent Hughes and the Center Search
Since the start of the offseason, several names have been linked to the Canadiens, and Larkin and McTavish have surfaced often as targets for Kent Hughes. The report says the chances of McTavish ending up in Montreal may be higher than the chances of Larkin, which gives the Canadiens a more realistic lane if the market tightens around the Red Wings captain.
The fit is complicated by cost. The Ducks would take on 1.7 million dollars more in payroll if they acquired Larkin at 8.7 million dollars, so the move is not just about trading for a center; it also changes the club’s cap picture right away.
June 17 Market Pressure
The timing matters because the NHL’s first buyout window opened on June 17, 2026 and runs until June 30, 2026. Murphy’s report lands inside that window, when teams can still rework their payroll and sharpen trade talks before the month closes.
That leaves Anaheim with a choice between pushing deeper into a Larkin chase or using McTavish as the more likely trade chip in a deal that could reshape both clubs’ center depth. For Montreal, the signal is simpler: Hughes has two names in the frame, but the route to one may be far cleaner than the route to the other.
