DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji spoke with Dylan Larkin at the Larkin Hockey School in Waterford today, and Larkin spoke with Wakiji regarding a number of topics, including the drafting of Filip Zadina:
“Got the chance to skate with Filip Zadina last week when he was in town and a couple of the other young guys,” Larkin said Thursday during the Larkin Hockey School at Lakeland Ice Arena in Waterford. “Looked really skilled and he’s a great kid and seems really excited to be here. We talked a little bit and I told him there’s a couple teams that went over him that he’s happy that he’s here with us and I’m happy he’s here with us.”
It has only been four years since Larkin was the Wings’ first-round pick, 15th overall, in the 2014 draft.
Larkin was asked if he offered Zadina any advice.
“I just said, ‘Hey, man, there’s opportunity, we need a player like you and hopefully I get to play with you and work as hard as possible when you go home. Enjoy summer but when you come to camp, there’s a spot there and take everything as seriously as you can,'” Larkin said.
Real impressed with the maturity Larkin showed last season. He took all of the criticisms to heart, blamed no one and worked to make great strides as a Center.
As long as he continues to see himself as an equal to the best of his peers (age-wise; so this means Matthews, Eichel, and even McDavid) I think/hope that his ego will be enough to make sure that the rest of the league eventually starts to consider him comparable as well.
Here’s hoping he’s better that ever this season.
Love Larkin, looking forward to the future with this team. I did however chuckle a bit at Larkin calling Zadina “kid” – here’s to Larkin wearing the “C” sooner than later