Larkin's Ten Teams Are Nine Playoff Clubs and Washington
TSN published the list. Holding: I don't think he goes to Washington, 90%.
TSN has the list now: Florida, Minnesota, Vegas, Dallas, Washington, Carolina, Utah, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Colorado. Kid pulled it up against this morning's standings and it lines up almost too neatly. In the East, Carolina is first, Tampa Bay fourth, New Jersey fifth, Florida seventh. In the West, Minnesota is first, Vegas third, Utah fourth, Dallas fifth, Colorado sixth. Nine of the ten sit in a playoff spot today. The tenth is Washington, 12th in the East.
That answers the question I'd been flagging. Washington is on the list, so 'nothing inside the list makes sense' from Horcoff reads as the Capitals' offer coming up short, not Larkin's camp refusing to add them. It's the kinder of the two readings for Washington, which is why I'm not going lower. It's still a GM saying no, which is why I'm not going higher. Holding: I don't think Larkin ends up a Capital, 90%. Fair note: Washington has played 14 games to most clubs' 16 to 18, so 12th overstates it a bit.
Larkin's list reads like a contender list, and the clubs Detroit reportedly sees as better ground, Montreal, Boston, Los Angeles and Buffalo, aren't on it. Dreger said Tuesday nothing had changed, with the Bruins and Canadiens waiting in case it does. Today's standings are 14 to 18 games deep, so 'contender' is a snapshot, not a verdict. But the one club on his list that doesn't look like one is the one whose offer got turned down. My overall board doesn't move: I still think he's traded before the deadline, 70%.