The Dylan Larkin storylines have been rumbling lately. He's missed two weeks for the Detroit Red Wings. He's been out injured but has been able to start working through some recovery and get back on the ice. The expectation was that he could be back on the ice by Thursday, but he was still labeled as "iffy" on Tuesday.
The Detroit Red Wings ruled him out against the Blue Jackets but have noted that he is iffy for Thursday's match-up. But another off day in between could allow him to get right and be good to go for the Thursday clash with the New York Islanders. If Detroit wants to try to stay alive in the postseason rate, they will need Larkin to bring 100% for this team as soon as he returns.
The Red Wings have to hope that Larkin can serve as a savior for this season. Being able to come in and keep the playoff hopes alive would be a true savior, as this team has started to slip through the cracks. After stringing together some of the best play in the entire league, March has been a much-different story.
Now, with playoff hopes dwindling and the Red Wings fighting and clawing for every point, it will be interesting to see how Larkin will be able to affect this team. Frankly, he has the chance to bring a major boost to the forward core and actually get them back on track.
Detroit Red Wings need Dylan Larkin back, to bring the spark they need.
Larkin has been the heartbeat of this team. He's the captain, so being "the guy" is essential—but with Detroit, it's different. The Red Wings are a completely different hockey club without their captain, and the results certainly show, especially as of late. Detroit is hoping that they can get their captain back and start stacking up wins.
Even if Larkin does not play on Thursday, he is nearing a return and will be back on the ice for Detroit sooner than later. It's important for the Red Wings to be able to get him back because he's one of the players who really plays a significant role.
Detroit is still teetering on the edge of the playoffs and needs any help it can get. Larkin's coming back would be a massive boost for this Red Wings team. We may have just covered Dylan Larkin on Octopus Thrower, but after Tuesday's game and announcements, it was only right.
The Red Wings need to be full-go against the New York Islanders. If they want to make a statement and start to really prove they belong in the playoff race, their captain needs to be healthy. It will be interesting to see if Larkin can get back for the clash with the Islanders.
While the timeline is not perfect, there's a chance that the Red Wings can make the playoffs. However, they need Dylan Larkin to be healthy again to help him lead this team. As the Red Wings prepare for Thursday's match-up, hopefully, Larkin can get the green light.
After all, Larkin's 26 goals and 28 assists for 54 total points in 55 total games played is impressive. He's been buzzing this year, and as the Red Wings are trying to scrape together at any point they can, Larkin is too -- aiming to keep the offense rolling.
First, he has to prove he's healthy, but if Larkin can pick up where he left off before his injury, Detroit has a chance to drastically increase its level of play down the stretch.