The Oakland Press’s Pat Caputo offers an opinion as to whether the Red Wings should name Dylan Larkin their captain if Henrik Zetterberg is no longer able to play:
Already, the Red Wings’ ticket selling campaign is based on Larkin. The plans are listed on the marquee at Little Caesars Arena next to his likeness. So are the ads running during the Tigers’ broadcasts on Fox Sports Detroit and upon the scoreboard at Comerica Park.
Larkin definitely has his plusses. He has extraordinary speed. At higher levels of competition internationally playing for the United States, at both the World Junior Championships and World Championships, Larkin has risen his performance.
Teams adjusted to his play early his rookie season and he became lost. He was roughed up a lot, and seemed to have difficulty fending for himself on the ice. Not any more. He’s stronger on his skates, savvy when it comes to creating space on the ice and has become a much better playmaker.
Used to be a time when the prime of an NHL forward was considered 28, but now it’s more like 24. Two years from now Larkin could be an exceptional player.
Larkin also has cognitive recognition beyond most his age. He’s understands situations and people and how to learn from failure rather than be ruined by it. That’s why he’s been labeled a potential captain from the moment the Red Wings selected him in the first round, 15th overall, in the 2014 NHL Draft prior to his freshman – and only season – at the University of Michigan.
With rank comes responsibility, though. If they put the “C” above the winged-wheel crest on Larkin’s blood, red jersey, he’d have to meet a standard unlike any he has remotely before, especially given what being captain of the Red Wings’ has meant. Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Zetterberg – that “C” is more than just a letter. It’s a genuine honor. They don’t “name” the Red Wings’ captain, they “anoint” him.
Would I make Larkin captain? Yeah. Probably. But I’d darn well make sure he knows exactly what it means, not only in the Red Wings’ dressing room, but this town overall, before I’d do it.
The thing that bothers me most about this article is the comma between “blood” and “red jersey”. He was trying to say blood red jersey and some hack editor threw a comma in there. Now it reads awkwardly. Driving me crazy!