- Todd McLellan says Dylan Larkin plays Tuesday vs. Ottawa if doctors clear him
- It would be his first game since asking the Red Wings for a trade
- Read below for the full Larkin injury update and what Detroit needs from him
Dylan Larkin looks set to make his season debut for the Red Wings.
Todd McLellan told reporters after Tuesday’s morning skate that Larkin will play against the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena, as long as doctors clear him this afternoon. It would be his first game since requesting a trade this summer.
As we pointed out this morning, it’s been a strange few months for Detroit’s top center. His trade request went public, he handed the club a short list of teams he’d waive his no-trade clause for, and he lost the captaincy before the season. No deal ever came together:
McLellan was asked whether Larkin would be in the lineup tonight.
“It looks that way right now,” McLellan said. “He’s got one more hurdle to cross. Still on (injured reserve). So the doctor will look at him here, and if he’s clear, he’s playing, and if he isn’t, then he won’t.”
Here’s that answer from the scrum, via the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James:
Larkin hurt his upper body during offseason training and couldn’t take part at the start of camp. He skipped the entire preseason and sat out Detroit’s first two games, both regulation losses.
On Tuesday he centered Lucas Raymond and Viktor Arvidsson and worked on the top power-play unit. Take a look at Larkin with the group at morning skate:
Raymond, one of Larkin’s closest friends on the team, talked about getting him into the lineup.
“Dylan’s a hell of a player, and he’s a huge part of our team,” Raymond said. “Really excited to see him out there tonight.”
Detroit badly needs the offense. The Wings have scored twice in two games, a 2-0 loss to the Rangers and a 3-2 loss to the Jets. They’re thin down the middle too, with Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton out week to week and J.T. Compher day to day.
Asked what Larkin brings, McLellan kept it simple.
“The players, I think, have said to you they believe we’re a better team with Dylan Larkin in the lineup, and I can’t argue with that,” he said. “We’ve had a tough time scoring so far this season, and Dylan’s been able to provide offense for a number of years, so that should help us.”
His numbers say the same thing. Larkin scored a career-high 34 goals last season and finished with 67 points in 74 games. He’s hit 30 goals in each of the last five years.
How the crowd reacts is the other storyline. Fans loudly booed Larkin when he was introduced from the bench on opening night. Tonight would be his 809th game in a Red Wings sweater, and his first since asking out.
