Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin took part in the “AREA 313 Celebrity Scramble” today in Detroit, ahead of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Larkin spoke with the Detroit News’s David Silva regarding the Red Wings’ offseason remodel. Larkin told Silva that the Red Wings need to come to Traverse City ready to impress:
“Obviously, there’s a lot of new faces, so we’re going to have to mesh quick,” team captain and two-time All-Star Dylan Larkin said. “I’ve already spoke to a lot of the new signings. Everyone’s excited, everyone’s very knowledgeable about the players we have and obviously the pieces we’ve added.”
[Free agent signing Andrew] Copp and the rest of the free agent class won’t be the only new part of the team, of course, as Derek Lalonde became the 28th head coach in Red Wings history last month.
“We talked right away when he was hired, and it seems like he’s very excited to come in,” Larkin said of Lalonde. “Obviously, everyone knows through what Steve has said and his press conference to start, team defense is something that we’re going to really work on, and I think the guys that were on the team last year and the new signings are excited for that challenge.”
Lalonde was in Tampa Bay since 2018 as an assistant coach, helping the Lighting win back-to-back Stanley Cups.
“I haven’t been this excited for going to camp and going into the season in quite some time,” Larkin said. “There’s a huge upside for our team, we just have to go out and prove it.”
Continued; Spartans coach Tom Izzo’s group won the Celebrity Scramble, but Larkin’s had a good summer. He’s gotten engaged, he’s worked out with Lions draft pick Aidan Hutchinson, and, in theory, anyway, a new contract extension is somewhere on the horizon.
