The reasons behind Dylan Larkin’s trade request, Nick Suzuki wins the Selke Trophy and Cole Caufield takes home the Lady Byng Trophy, the latest on the Hurricanes and Golden Knights, remembering Cliff Fletcher, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Bob Duff pondered what changed for Dylan Larkin that prompted him to request a trade from the Red Wings.
Duff noted the change in Larkin after playing for Team USA’s gold-medal team at the Winter Olympics in February. Perhaps finally getting a taste of victory was behind it. He also wondered if Larkin’s Team USA Olympic teammates such as Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers, Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild influenced his decision to move on to a club with a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup.
MLIVE.COM: Ansar Khan reported no one from the Larkin camp or the Red Wings is talking about the reason behind the 29-year-old center’s trade request.
One reason could be Larkin is turning 30 in July and apparently doesn’t believe the Red Wings will win the Stanley Cup while he’s in his prime. His frosty relationship with general manager Steve Yzerman probably hasn’t helped. Khan doubted that this relationship can be repaired.
Larkin has a full no-trade clause, which will complicate the Red Wings’ efforts to find a suitable trade partner. If Yzerman doesn’t get an offer to his liking during the offseason, he could hang onto Larkin, which could lead to an awkward situation if he’s still with the team next season.
DETROIT FREE PRESS: Helene St. James reports Larkin’s trade request has fired up Red Wings fans. Most of her readers are pointing the blame at Yzerman’s inability to build the club into a playoff contender.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Playing for the US Olympic men’s hockey team may have been a factor behind his decision, but not because Tkachuk, Eichel, and Hughes talked him into it.
After spending 11 seasons with a club that has missed the playoffs for the past decade, Larkin represented his country with a team that won the biggest prize in international hockey. That experience may have led to a reevaluation of where he is in his professional career and the Red Wings’ direction under Yzerman’s management.
Larkin’s request continues to raise speculation over where he might be traded. I’ll have the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as this season’s top defensive forward. Teammate Cole Caufield won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of play.
Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki (NHL Images).
Suzuki is the third player in Canadiens history to win the Selke, joining Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau. He’s the first Hab to win it since Carbonneau in 1992.
Caufield is the third Canadiens to win the Lady Byng, joining Toe Blake (1945-46) and Mats Naslund (1987-88).
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal is drawing praise from his head coach and his teammates for his leadership, performance, and timely offense during this postseason.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights forward Brett Howden’s play has put him into the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He leads all scorers in this postseason with 13 goals, tying the franchise record for most goals in a single postseason.
TWINCITIES.COM: Marcus Johansson’s NHL career is ending after 16 seasons. The 35-year-old Minnesota Wild forward signed a one-year contract with Farjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League.
Johansson’s departure leaves a hole on the Wild’s second line that will have to be addressed before next season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: From 2010-11 to 2025-26, Johansson had 200 goals and 366 assists for 566 points in 1,058 regular-season games with the Wild, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, Seattle Kraken, and Boston Bruins. He also had 51 points in 125 playoff games.
THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators hired former Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake as their new executive vice president of hockey operations. Meanwhile, assistant GM Brian Poile, son of former Predators GM David Poile, is leaving the team after 16 seasons, eight of those in his recent role.
NEW YORK POST: The Rangers hired Jay Leach as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Hartford.
TORONTO SUN: Former Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher passed away on Friday at age 90.
Fletcher began his NHL management career as GM of the expansion Atlanta Flames in 1972. He moved with the club to Calgary in 1980, building them into Stanley Cup champions in 1989.
Hired by the Maple Leafs in 1991, he made one of the biggest trades in franchise history by acquiring Doug Gilmour from the Flames in a blockbuster 10-player trade. Gilmour became the Maple Leafs’ franchise player, leading the Maple Leafs to back-to-back Campbell Conference Finals in 1993 and 1994.
In 1994, Fletcher made another significant trade for the Leafs, shipping Wendel Clark to the Quebec Nordiques for Mats Sundin, who went on to become one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Fletcher stepped down as Leafs GM in 1997. He went on to front-office roles with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Phoenix Coyotes before returning to the Leafs in 2008 as interim GM until Brian Burke was named general manager. He remained with the Leafs in an advisory role until his death.
Fletcher was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2004.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sincere condolences to Fletcher’s family, friends, and the Flames’ and Maple Leafs’ organizations.