The Detroit Red Wings have a history of their captains going above and beyond for their team while playing through injury.
Steve Yzerman played through several playoff runs on one leg. Henrik Zetterberg's back injury was so bad that Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara carried his bags for him at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. For better or worse, it's practically expected for Red Wings captains to play their way through injury.
Dylan Larkin carried that tradition this season.
No matter how you shake it, Larkin's leg injury in early March looked gruesome. While, yes, he was able to return to play a few games later, it was clear he wasn't playing at his best. His notoriously tenacious speed was cut down. His two-way play style was hampered by his nagging injury.
Yet, despite this, Larkin managed 12 points in 12 games. He gave the season everything he got and it amounted to the same result the Red Wings have dealt with for the last decade -- another season of no playoffs.
The Red Wings came up short, but it was not the fault of Dylan Larkin.
Dylan Larkin gave his all this season
It's hard to ask anything more from the Red Wings captain. He ended the season scoring nearly a point per game, putting up 67 points in 74 games -- a 74-point pace on the season. Larkin was third in team scoring behind Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat, posting his fifth consecutive season above 65 points in his career.
Perhaps no other player in Detroit sports is under more pressure than Larkin. The Red Wings have the longest playoff drought in the NHL. Fans are starving for competitive hockey. Four Marches in a row have destroyed the team's playoff chances. Yet, despite this, there were multiple nights where Larkin gave it his all.
It seems as if the entire team feeds off Larkin's energy. When he's on, the team's producing at a ridiculous clip. When he's having an off night, the rest of the roster collapses in on itself. It's hard to put the blame on Larkin given that he seems like the only one who cares some nights. This, again, reveals that depth is the biggest issue the Red Wings face.
How the Red Wings can help Larkin moving forward
Larkin has the tools needed to be a point-per-game player. He's developed boatloads of chemistry with Lucas Raymond. But, in order to see him hit his stride, the Red Wings have to find a suitable line mate for Raymond and Seider. While the current priority is to find a second line center to take some burden off Larkin's shoulders, the promise of a top line winger should excite any fan.
The free agent market is nothing short of underwhelming this offseason. Thus, the Red Wings need to either explore a trade or work out an offer sheet to get a restricted free agent on the roster. They could also find a way to promote a prospect, but, as of right now, the Red Wings do not have a prospect with top line wing potential.
That said, it's hard to ask anything more out of Larkin. He's met every expectation the roster requires of him.
Final Grade: A
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