The Athletic’s Max Bultman posited six questions regarding the Red Wings training camp, and #1 is very accurate:
I don’t think I’m the only person who had that takeaway from Larkin’s Day 1 news conference, when he said he wasn’t disappointed by the team’s decision (for now) to stick with four alternates and no official captain. I’ll echo the obvious in saying Larkin appears, from the outside, deserving of being the team’s next captain, whenever Steve Yzerman feels confident enough in making it official.
What struck me just as much, though, was what Larkin said when talking about what steps forward he can make individually this season. Mind you, he’s coming off a year in which he nearly scored a point per game, played in some of the toughest situations and generally established himself as a top-line center.
He started by talking about how he can grow as a player, teammate and leader, as well as in the community. More captain-ly talk. But then:
“On the ice, I want to be more dominant,” he said. “I think I showed it at times, in stretches, through the season last year. But I believe in myself that I can dominate for long periods of time. I can take over games and win games for our team. And ultimately that’s the next step in my career, is to win games, and be a winner and play like a winner.”
Continued (paywall)
I think the comment seekers will gravitate to Larkin and it certainly will not bother him. As a beat writer, I would want Larkin first and maybe Glendening next. Who were the other two A’s again, LOL