MONTREAL — Booed at home, having his name chanted on the road.
This is Dylan Larkin’s existence right now.
The Detroit Red Wings forward was booed during player introductions in the home opener and when he first touched the puck in his season debut on home ice. But he was met with “We want Larkin” chants from Montreal Canadiens fans at the Bell Centre on Saturday, hoping their team could swing a trade to land the disgruntled Red Wings star and former captain.
Larkin’s offseason trade request has angered many in the Red Wings fan base, but even though he reportedly does not have the Canadiens on his trade list and holds full control of the situation with a no-movement clause, Canadiens fans tried to change his mind.
On Larkin’s first shift, he did not touch the puck before Cole Caufield scored to give the Canadiens a 1-0 lead, a goal that was erased by video review after a long delay. He didn’t touch the puck on his second shift, either. In fact, the entire Red Wings team hardly touched the puck through the first TV timeout.
It didn’t take long for Montreal fans to start a “We want Larkin” chant 🤭 pic.twitter.com/FZ7KIF2ZPR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 10, 2026
When he finally got a puck touch on his fourth shift behind his own net, it was for not even a second near the midpoint of the first period, but it triggered the chants again.
“It was interesting,” Larkin told reporters in the Red Wings dressing room after Detroit’s 1-0 loss in a shootout. “I never would have imagined that in this building in my career. They’re passionate fans; this is, in my opinion, the best atmosphere in hockey. They’re knowledgeable and they love their team, so that’s how I read into it. But after a few seconds it was just back to focusing on the game.”
The Canadiens basically brushed it off after the game.
“Yeah, I mean, our fans are obviously on Twitter and rumour stuff,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said. “It is what it is, you can’t really control it.”
Larkin, if he agreed to a trade, would fill a significant hole for the Canadiens at centre on their second line behind Nick Suzuki. And if his concern is related to being an American and wanting to play south of the border, Larkin skates every summer with Canadiens star Caufield in Michigan, and the two are close friends. Caufield and fellow American Lane Hutson are signed to long-term contracts in Montreal, and Chris Kreider also decided to sign with the Canadiens in September after having his contract with the Anaheim Ducks terminated, giving him an opportunity to sign anywhere in the NHL.
As it stands, there does not appear to be any change in Larkin’s desired destinations for an eventual trade. But Canadiens fans did their best to change that Saturday.