Dylan Larkin’s return to the Detroit lineup carried every kind of noise Tuesday. Boos greeted his first shift, cheers followed his power-play goal, and the building delivered a split reaction when he was named first star after the Red Wings’ 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena.
- Larkin made his season debut after missing Detroit’s two opening losses, 2-0 to the New York Rangers on Friday and 3-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
- The 30-year-old center had been limited at the opening of training camp by an upper-body injury suffered during offseason workouts. He later returned to practice but did not play in the preseason.
- Tuesday was Larkin’s first appearance since requesting a trade following last season and being stripped of the Red Wings captaincy. He supplied a goal and an assist against Ottawa.
- Ottawa opened the scoring when Tim Stutzle finished a rush at 2:44 of the first period, shortly after Larkin’s first shift.
- Larkin answered on Detroit’s power play, converting Viktor Arvidsson’s feed at 13:14 of the first to put the Red Wings ahead 2-1.
- He set up Arvidsson for another power-play goal at 2:01 of the second, extending Detroit’s lead to 3-1.
- Larkin also worked around the crease and along the wall, drawing a penalty before stepping in for Alex DeBrincat late in the second period.
- He received a roughing minor after going after Ridly Greig following Greig’s hit on DeBrincat. The confrontation grew into a larger scrum.
- Nick Cousins appeared to needle Larkin by grabbing at his jersey, referencing the missing captain’s “C.” Larkin laughed off the exchange afterward.
- Fans booed several more Larkin touches in the third period, then mixed cheers and boos when he received first-star honors.
Larkin kept his celebration muted after the first-period goal, mindful of the situation surrounding his trade request. Still, he said scoring for Detroit in a key moment felt good. He pointed toward his 16-month-old daughter, Lennyn, in the stands, saying she is old enough now to better understand what she will see when she watches the goal.
“I’m trying to handle it like a man and face it,” Larkin said of the reaction. “I understand why it’s happening. But I said at the start of the year that I would show up through my play. It was good to be with the guys and get the win.”
The Detroit native has spent his entire NHL career with the Red Wings. He has not played postseason hockey since his 2015-16 rookie campaign, while Detroit’s 10-year playoff absence stands as both the longest drought in franchise history and the NHL’s longest active skid.
Coach Todd McLellan saw a player who put the off-ice uncertainty aside once the puck dropped.
“When he gets his gear on, he plays hockey,” McLellan said. “He made a difference in the game. He played with his heart showing, and that was important for him tonight.”
McLellan said the bench rallied around Larkin and believes Detroit is stronger with him in the lineup. The coach’s message was simple: the past has happened, and the job now is to play.
Larkin said getting back into a game was the best remedy. He also called the postgame reception from teammates meaningful, especially given the relationships he has built in the room.
There is no quick answer on whether trust has fully been restored after his trade request. Larkin acknowledged that one game cannot settle that question.
“Trust takes time,” he said. “With hockey players, it comes from what you do, not what you say.”
