This is everything Dylan Larkin has been asking for.
Despite a bad loss on opening night that triggered thoughts of impending doom, the Red Wings have emerged as one of the best teams in the NHL and that’s despite dealing with a number of injuries.
Detroit has been shorthanded the last three games as Patrick Kane and Lucas Raymond have been on the mend, but it hasn’t mattered. The Red Wings are on a five-game winning streak.
Their latest triumph came in a 4–2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, effectively containing the league’s formidable duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
At its core, the Red Wings’ strength no longer hinges on a handful of standout players. For years, Larkin’s frustration had quietly simmered, stemming from a perceived lack of broad-based contributions to the team’s development.
That simmering discontent reached a boiling point at the conclusion of last season, when Larkin publicly challenged team executives for what he deemed insufficient efforts to foster the squad’s growth.
GM Steve Yzerman’s directive to Larkin and the rest of the roster was clear: lead on the ice, and the front office would supply the talent. While Yzerman continued to attract scrutiny for his offseason maneuvers, discerning hockey aficionados recognized that a calculated strategy was quietly taking shape.
Mason Appleton has emerged as a standout through Detroit’s first six contests. After tallying 10 goals in 71 games last season with the Winnipeg Jets, he has already recorded three goals and an assist for the Red Wings—a level of early production that underscores the mutual benefits of this system for both player and team.
Dylan Larkin is thriving
After last season, Larkin was in dire need of a respite—and understandably so. The Red Wings had flirted with a playoff berth only to falter late, and nine consecutive seasons of disappointment can weigh heavily on even the most resilient professional athlete.
Yet this past offseason brought pivotal changes for Larkin. The birth of his daughter, Lennyn, alongside the support and resources Yzerman secured for him, provided both personal joy and professional reinforcement.
It should therefore come as little surprise that Larkin was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week early Monday morning. Over four games, he amassed nine points—four goals and five assists. Sustaining that pace across an 82-game season would project an almost unfathomable 185 points. While such numbers are unlikely to be maintained, the mere demonstration of a “career week” of this magnitude underscores the remarkable progress the team has achieved in just a matter of months.
Keep the faith
It is important to remember that this performance came without the roster at full strength. Imagine the potential when the entire lineup is firing on all cylinders. Recall that veteran media voices had predicted the Red Wings would struggle, citing concerns that the younger players were not yet ready for the rigors of the NHL.
In response, Emmitt Finnie’s message on the ice was unequivocal: “Shut up and watch.” The rookie not only scored his first NHL goal but added a second. Dylan Larkin, asserting his own dominance, followed suit with two goals of his own, declaring, “Now it’s my turn.”
The Red Wings are firing on all cylinders, and our forecast that Larkin would enjoy a career-best season is unfolding vividly before our eyes.