“I like Michael Hage, but Dylan Larkin is a safe bet.”

Michaël Petit
“I like Michael Hage, but Dylan Larkin is a safe bet.”
Credit: Getty Images

When will the Dylan Larkin saga finally end?

Ever since the Red Wings visited the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on October 10, the rumors have picked up steam again, fueled by chants of “Larkin” from the crowd.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that if you have to try to convince a guy to come play here—a guy who doesn't want to play in Canada to begin with—it's not worth paying top dollar to acquire him.

That said, if the Habs were to add Larkin as their second-line center, their offense would be extremely dangerous. Still, one has to wonder what the Habs would have to give up to acquire the American. In my opinion, the offer should include Michael Hage, even though he's attached to the city of Montreal.

Shaun Starr and Marco D'Amico discussed a potential trade involving Larkin and Hage on the latest episode of the Starr & D'Amico Show. Here's what Starr has to say:

“I like Michael Hage, but Dylan Larkin is a sure thing.” – Shaun Starr

If you just look at the stats on paper, it's clear that Larkin is better than Hage could ever be.

The chances of Hage becoming a better player than Larkin are very slim, even though his potential remains very intriguing.

However, there's also the emotional aspect, as my colleague Tony Patoine recently explained in an article.

The fact that Hage grew up as a Canadiens fan, speaks French very well, and has openly stated on multiple occasions that he wants to play in Montreal still carries a lot of weight.

Even more so when you consider that Larkin doesn't want to play in Canada in the first place.

I understand that Larkin is a safe bet in terms of talent, but I don't think he's the best choice.

In any case, as Renaud Lavoie recently mentioned, the Canadiens' front office isn't in a hurry to make a move. There's no need to panic, and we know the Habs will want to wait for the right player before pulling the trigger.

Larkin is probably not that player.


In a nutshell

– Wow.

– That's right.

– Well.

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