As noted earlier this afternoon, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman gave an 18-minute press conference today, and he was pressed most consistently regarding the comments made by Dylan Larkin a little earlier in the day, and why the team chose to go without a captain, at least for the present moment.
The Free Press’s Helene St. James took note of both gentlemen’s comments:
“Look at the guys that have led on our team before and what I can do to be an all-around leader,” Larkin said. “For me it’s exciting to have conversations like that where someone who has been through it and someone who has done it very well. It’s invaluable to my career. It’s something I’m excited and grateful for.”
Larkin said he isn’t disappointed the decision has been delayed, and that he’s focused on impressing Yzerman.
Yzerman wants to get to know Larkin and all of the players better before a captain is named. There is no better choice than Larkin, who is only 22 and who in four seasons has emerged as the face of the rebuild. Larkin occasionally wore the ‘A’ last season, his first wearing a letter on his sweater, splitting time as alternate captain with Frans Nielsen. This year, Larkin will wear a permanent letter. Nielsen will rotate with newly minted alternate Luke Glendening, and Justin Abdelkader is the other alternate.
Yzerman wants to see every player assert himself.
“I’m looking for them all to step forward as leaders on the ice and off the ice and set the tone the way we’re going to play and the way we’re going to conduct ourselves,” Yzerman said. “I want to get to know all these guys — a few of the veteran guys I know somewhat from when I left the organization, but it’s an opportunity to take the time to get to know everyone and when we eventually do name a captain, I intend that person to be the captain for a long time.”
Continued; if and when the Red Wings do name a captain, Yzerman’s not concerned about the timing thereof.
