As Larkin rumors swirl, Caps pull the trigger on trade

Amid ongoing rumors linking them to Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, the Washington Capitals completed a trade on November 1, 2026, acquiring goaltender Rémi Poirier from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick. The permanent minor-league acquisition addresses goaltending depth after Washington lost Clay Stevenson on waivers to Winnipeg last month.

Writer John Murray suggests the depth move could precede a larger blockbuster trade, noting the Capitals are on Larkin's ten-team trade list. Murray argues that Detroit's reported asking price of Ryan Leonard or Aliaksei and Ilya Protas is too steep, but proposes that Washington should consider a package if Detroit includes defenseman Simon Edvinsson alongside Larkin.