What happened: Larkin opened the season with the Red Wings after early talks with his original preferred destinations failed to produce a move. The revised group reportedly also includes Carolina, Colorado, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Utah and Washington. New Jersey beat Colorado 4-3 in a final.

Why it matters: New Jersey explored center options this offseason and pivoted after Utah matched its offer sheet for Barrett Hayton. Adding Larkin would reshape deployment down the middle alongside Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.

What to watch: Detroit's stance and New Jersey's offer structure are the next checkpoints.