Red Wings' Dylan Larkin sends clear response to Steve Yzerman in regards to their past tension
Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
It appears that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has responded to his offseason tension with Steve Yzerman in the perfect way possible.
The Red Wings were blanked by the Golden Knights on Tuesday; neither Dylan Larkin nor any Detroit player recorded a single point as they endured their first shutout loss of the season.
Vegas' powerful play resulted in the Red Wings' record now sitting with one more loss at a 9-5-0 record, sitting second in the NHL's Atlantic Division only below the Montreal Canadiens.
But their early season success wouldn't be anything close to what it is without the red-hot start Dylan Larkin has had.
Through 14 games this season, Larkin has tallied up 18 points (8G 10A), which, at an 82-game pace, would equal 105 or 106 points on the season.
It would smash his current season-high point total of 70, which was recorded in 2024.
This is a new Dylan Larkin we're all witnessing, what caused it?
We may know.
Steve Yzerman's call-out ignites Dylan Larkin, Red Wings to early-season success
Larkin's comments during his season-ending press conference in April of this past summer were directed at Yzerman's lack of work as general manager through the NHL trade deadline.
The captain wasn't pleased that the Red Wings sat back while other teams improved and made his feelings more than well known.
"We didn't gain any momentum from the trade deadline, and guys were kinda down about it. So it'd be nice to add something and bring a little bit of a spark on the ice and a morale boost as well. You gotta come up with wins and I think, especially March, it was hard that we didn't do anything."
- Dylan Larkin
- Dylan Larkin
Yzerman responded with some comments that were quite passive-aggressive, stating that he's counting on his players, leaders (Larkin), to give them a morale boost.
"And again, I will say, I'm counting on our best players, our leaders, to give us a bit of a morale boost. That's what they're paid for, and that's the expectation for them."
It's quite clear Yzerman's comments ignited a spark in Larkin, who has since had zero problem responding to the challenge that his general manager proposed.
Already headlining the NHL's stars of the week, the sky appears to be the limit for the Red Wings' captain at this very moment.
Previously on Red Wings Insider
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