Detroit Red Wings Make Decision on Dylan Larkin
The wait is over for Dylan Larkin. According to multiple reports from Tuesday’s morning skate, the Detroit Red Wings have decided that Larkin will make his 2026-27 season debut tonight against the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena.
Detroit isn’t planning to ease him back into the lineup, either. Larkin skated between Viktor Arvidsson and Lucas Raymond on the Red Wings’ top line Tuesday morning, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
The decision puts Larkin immediately back into one of Detroit’s most important offensive roles after an upper-body injury kept him out of the first two games. Considering everything that has happened between Larkin, the organization and the fanbase since his offseason trade request, his return should be one of the most fascinating moments of Detroit’s young season.
Dylan Larkin Returns to Red Wings Top Line
Larkin missed Detroit’s first two games after Todd McLellan ruled him out to begin the season with an upper-body injury. McLellan said at the time that Detroit was hoping Game 3 could become Larkin’s return date, and that timetable appears to have held.
Tuesday’s morning skate provided the strongest confirmation yet that Larkin is ready to go. He centered Arvidsson and Raymond, immediately reclaiming the No. 1 center position rather than beginning farther down the lineup.
Alex DeBrincat skated alongside Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard on another scoring line. Michael Rasmussen, Andrew Copp and Keegan Kolesar formed another trio as McLellan continued adjusting a lineup that has already been hit by multiple injuries.
Larkin’s return comes at a good time for an offense that could use some help. Detroit opened the season with consecutive losses and has struggled to consistently generate the kind of offensive pressure McLellan wants from his group.
Now Comes the Interesting Part
Larkin’s return isn’t simply another injury update. There is an enormous amount of baggage attached to the first time No. 71 steps onto the Little Caesars Arena ice this season.
The former captain requested a trade during the offseason and subsequently lost the “C,” dramatically changing his relationship with the organization and at least some members of the fanbase. When Larkin participated in Opening Night introductions despite being injured, Red Wings fans booed him loudly.
Todd McLellan later revealed that Larkin personally chose to participate in the ceremony despite knowing an uncomfortable reception could be waiting. The Red Wings coach also acknowledged that the reaction was one of the consequences Larkin faced after requesting a trade.
“Dylan being part of the team, he wanted to be out there for the ceremony. Obviously he’s got to live with the ramifications of asking for a trade,” McLellan said. “It’s not comfortable for anybody, I feel bad for him. I do.”
Tonight will be considerably different because Larkin will finally have an opportunity to respond with his play. Instead of standing on the bench in street clothes while his name is announced, he’ll be wearing No. 71 and centering Detroit’s top line in a game the Red Wings badly want to win.
Red Wings Still Dealing With Injuries
Getting Larkin back doesn’t mean Detroit is suddenly healthy. Marco Kasper, J.T. Compher and Mason Appleton were all missing from the combinations reported at Tuesday’s morning skate.
The situation was thin enough that defenseman Andreas Englund filled in at forward alongside Carter Mazur and Nate Danielson during the skate. That doesn’t necessarily mean Englund will play there tonight, but it illustrates the lineup juggling McLellan is currently dealing with.
Center has been a particularly important issue because of Kasper’s absence. Detroit moved Finnie into the middle after Kasper was injured, and getting Larkin back gives McLellan his most accomplished offensive center at exactly the right time.
Larkin’s presence should also give Detroit considerably more flexibility throughout the lineup. McLellan can distribute minutes more naturally instead of asking Finnie, Danielson and Detroit’s other available centers to absorb additional responsibilities created by the injuries.
Larkin Gets His Chance to Answer Hockeytown
There is no guarantee the reaction Tuesday will resemble what Larkin heard during Opening Night introductions. Fans can be angry about his trade request and still cheer if No. 71 scores a goal against Ottawa, because sports have a funny way of making complicated relationships temporarily uncomplicated.
That makes Tuesday night fascinating beyond Detroit’s need to get into the win column. It will be Larkin’s first opportunity to play in front of the Little Caesars Arena crowd since his trade request fundamentally changed his relationship with Hockeytown.
We already know what some Red Wings fans think about Larkin wanting out. Tonight, for the first time this season, Larkin gets an opportunity to answer them on the ice.
Source: sports.yahoo.com — article syndicated from the publisher’s feed; all rights remain with the original publisher.