According to a well-placed source, the Anaheim Ducks are one of the teams pushing hardest to acquire the current big fish on the NHL trade market in Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. 

The same source also suggested that, as many have speculated, Ducks center Mason McTavish would ‘very likely’ be part of any NHL trade package going back to the Red Wings.

“I’m not saying this imminent but I am told that Anaheim is pushing hard for Larkin,” the source told Murphy’s Hockey Law. 

“The main issue with the Ducks right now though is taking care of their own business. They obviously have some really key players to sign. That being said, there’s a strong interest in Larkin there as you can imagine and if it got to a trade for Larkin, Mason McTavish is very likely involved.”

Dylan Larkin was drafted 15th overall by the Red Wings at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-, 205-pound left-shot center had 34 goals and 33 assists in 74 games this past season. It was the fifth straight (and sixth overall) season that Larkin has cracked the 30-goal plateau. Dylan Larkin is heading into the fourth season of an eight-year, $69.6 million contract that carries an $8.7 salary cap hit.

Mason McTavish is heading into the second year of a six-year, $42 million ($7M AAV) contract he signed after missing part of training camp last September. McTavish and the team did not see the contract bump on the ice that they hoped for as McTavish struggled with just 17 goals and 24 assists in 75 games. That was eleven points less than last season when he had 22 goals and 30 assists in 76 games. As a result McTavish found himself a healthy scratch at times down the stretch and also in the playoffs.

Like Larkin, McTavish has been a constant name bantered about in NHL trade rumors as well. As reported here, the Montreal Canadiens, as they have in the past, have once again made it clear to Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek that they remain interested in the 23-year-old forward whom the Anaheim Ducks drafted third overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

“They circled back and called on him,” an NHL source told Murphy’s Hockey Law last week. “I don’t think it’s at the point of serious discussions or exchanging trade scenarios but the Habs let it be known they’re still interested.”

A second source then confirmed that and while he didn’t confirm that a trade return for McTavish had been discussed, he believes the starting point for the Ducks would be Canadiens top prospect and University of Michigan center Michael Hage.

“I would think any discussion is starting with Hage,” the source opined.

With regards to the aforementioned source on the Ducks strong interest in Dylan Larkin discussing the Ducks’ restricted and unrestricted free agents as a hold up, here’s a list of what GM Pat Verbeek is facing:

Restricted Free Agents

Leo Carlsson (F)

Cutter Gauthier (F)

Ian Moore (F)

Tyson Hinds (D)

Ollen Zellweger (D)

Pavel Mintyukov (D)

Unrestricted Free Agents

Ross Johnston (F)

Jansen Harkins (F)

Jeffrey Viel (F)

John Carlson (D) (Already announced he will not return to the Ducks)

Radko Gudas (D) *Captain

Jacob Trouba (D)

Petr Mrazek (G)

Clearly, Carlsson and Gauthier are the priorities for Verbeek, and word from multiple sources is that Verbeek made that clear to other NHL general managers when the Ducks’ offseason began after their second round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, that was before the news broke on June 5 that Larkin, the 29-year-old captain of the Red Wings had asked out. 

“That clearly made Verbeek’s and other GMs situations more pressing,” the source told MHL. “It’s also likely that while Carlsson and Gauthier are off-limits, two of those three RFA defenseman – Zellweger and Mintyukov – could be discussed in Larkin trade talks. Obviously one of them really sweetens the package going back to Detroit.”