4. Dylan Larkin
Does this prove that I am not ranking these guys based strictly on recency? The current captain of the Detroit Red Wings has had a tough run of it, all things considered. Fans have been blessed with Dylan Larkin to be quite honest; he has been the only bright spot that the team has had over the past five years or so.
Once he got the “C” stitched on his sweater after two seasons of wearing an “A”, it was easy to see Larkin take command of the team. You really got the feeling that he felt it was “his team.” For as bad as the club was during the stretch of his captaincy, he still showed a passion for doing what he could to bring as many wins to the city as he possibly could, albeit without a supporting cast.
After Steve Yzerman took over as General Manager (GM) of the Red Wings, one domino fell after another throughout the rebuild. The casualties of the “Yzerplan” became many of Larkin’s best friends and teammates on the roster. As we stand today, Larkin is the only remaining member of the Red Wings still on the roster since the day that Yzerman took control of the team.
He has not had the good fortune of having a constant on the team. Subsequently, Little Caesars Arena was built in an attempt to upgrade the previous historic barn and bring back fans for an exciting product to watch on the ice. Constantly adapting to new venues, new linemates, and new attitudes within the locker room deserves our respect towards our captain, Oh captain, my captain, Dylan Larkin.
The Detroit Red Wings current captain comes in at no.4 on this countdown. Let’s continue!