Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff looks back at Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s 2021-2022 season thus far, which has included a suspension for fighting back against Mathieu Joseph, a family emergency that took him away from the team for a week, and a false positive COVID test that sidelined him for the third period of what was ultimately a Wings loss.
As Duff notes, Larkin is displaying a level of maturity at 25 years of age that you’d hope the Wings’ captain would display:
Dealing with a serious neck injury over the summer and a family crisis earlier this year, Larkin is admitting to taking stock of his life. He is trying to step away from emotional reactions. Instead he’s choosing to take a step back, seeking out the best response during such trying situations.
“I think the highs and lows . . . they’re pretty dramatic at times, especially if you let them be,” Larkin said. “I feel like at times I’ve really let them get to me. This year, I really worked on not letting that happen, whether it’s going well or it’s not, whether things come into your life and take you out of the lineup for a week or you can’t play a third period. I’m really just trying not to let it get to me and be grateful that I’m here.”
That’s certainly the mature way to handle such scenarios. And perhaps it’s also playing a role in what’s so far been a tremendous rebound campaign for the Detroit captain. Already, Larkin has scored nine goals. That’s as many as he tallied all of last season.
Regardless, Larkin’s ability to also recognize that it’s the best approach for him and his team is quite impressive.
Continued; on the ice, Larkin is the Red Wings’ “engine, “and off the ice, he’s their conscience. That’s all you can ask from a young captain.
