Dylan Larkin has done a lot for the Detroit Red Wings since his arrival. He’s been one of the better, if not the best, players throughout this long rebuild, and he always guarantees solid play overall. Still, his performance in 2024-25 demanded more.
Larkin finished second in points behind Lucas Raymond and tied with Alex DeBrincat, and he still possessed playmaking abilities. But when the Red Wings struggled down the stretch, Larkin forgot to lead. Yeah, he had a right to be vocal about general manager Steve Yzerman, but he also didn’t play the hand he was given, and that’s a mistake on his part.
Grade: C-plus - Yep, after giving Raymond and DeBrincat passing grades with flying colors, Larkin barely passes. He was still successful and was once again Mr. Reliable on face-offs, but the Wings also needed him to step up and be a leader. He didn’t do that, and his play stagnated at the worst possible time.
Dylan Larkin’s 2024-25 season was solid, but a bit of a letdown
Dylan Larkin ended the year with 70 points, 30 goals, and 40 assists, plus a 20:04 average time on ice. He stole the puck 39 times, leading the team in takeaways. Still, a good bulk of that production came either earlier in the season before the Wings were in trouble, or too late when the writing was on the wall.
Larkin needed to be consistent all season long, and if he was, I have an inkling that the rest of the team would’ve followed suit. He didn’t, and you can argue that the Wings stagnated under his leadership. That’s a bad look for the captain, and you can’t help but wonder whether No. 71 deserves the label next season, even if I don’t see the Wings changing anything up.
Still, his performance in the face-off circle gave the Wings a chance, as he won a whopping 871 draws, and 54.5 percent of them. Larkin also wasn’t shy about taking shots, landing 456 of them, and seeing a solid 234 reach the net. So, while his 2024-25 performance had a major downside, it wasn’t awful by any stretch. Disappointing, but it could’ve been worse.
Will Dylan Larkin rebound in 2025-26, or will we see more of the same?
Obvious tensions with general manager Steve Yzerman may even lead to trade rumors this summer, but there’s no way I’m suggesting Larkin’s wearing anything next season but the winged wheel. He’s still too valuable to a Red Wings team that needs to rally around a leader, and I don’t see him making the same mistake twice.
Nah, he’s going to enjoy a rebound campaign in 2025-26 if you want my early prediction, racking up something close to a point per game, scoring 35 goals and at least 40 assists. He’ll win back some of the fans he may’ve lost during his skirmish of words with Yzerman, and he and the Wings will be just fine moving forward.
The only way Larkin’s leaving town would be if the Wings are out of it at the 2026 trade deadline. And again, it’s not happening, and it’s something you don’t need to worry about.