We already know that Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin took part in the NHL’s Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, Nevada last week. What I didn’t expect is that the first set of comments from Larkin to come out to the press are from an NHL.com/de article written in German.
Here’s a rough translation of what Dylan Larkin had to say to NHL.com/de’s Axel Jeroma regarding Moritz Seider:
Larkin predicts a bright future for Seider
The Red Wings’ captain pays tribute to his teammate at the NHL’s North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas
Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings believes that his teammate Moritz Seider will have a great career in the NHL. “He’s a very good defenseman and he also plays really well in the attack. He got off to a great start, and I think he’ll be a fixture on our defense for many years to come. How much he develops is entirely up to him,” said Detroit’s captain at the NHL’s North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.
Seider had an outstanding debut season in the NHL in the 2021-2022 year, and he was subsequently awarded the Calder Trophy as the best rookie. He played in all 82 games and registered 50 points (7 goals and 43 assists). With this tally, he set the German NHL record for defensemen’s scoring.
The expectations of the 20-year-old blueliner, who was born in Zell an der Mosel, are correspondingly high. “Detroit fans like to compare him to the greats of yesteryear, but I think that Mo Seider will stay true to himself and write his own stories,” said Larkin.
Seider’s confident demeanor impressed Larkin. “He didn’t look or act like a rookie. You could tell that he’d played professionally for a number of years before [last year]. He was ready to take the next step,” said Larkin. “The same goes for Lucas [Raymond]. The more experience they gain, the stronger and better they become. It’s impressive to see.”
Larkin already believes that his two comrades-in-arms on the ice have mature personalities. In the case of “Mo,” this is particularly pronounced. “They love coming to the rink and they love the game. It’s really refreshing to be around them,” said Detroit’s star forward.
Both Seider and Raymond have contributed significantly to the positive development of the Red Wings over the past season. “They gave us a boost last season. They’re special players and guys. It’s not without reason that they had such a successful season. It was a pleasure to see it,” said Larkin. “After our difficult times in recent years, it paid off that we got them both.”
With Seider and Raymond, who had a brilliant rookie season in 2021-22 with 57 points (23 goals and 34 assists) in 82 games, the upswing in play of the Red Wings was unmistakable. The team finished 6th in the Atlantic Division with 74 points (a game record of 32-40-and-10).
According to Larkin, things should continue to improve in the future. “The management has signed some good players. We have a great group together, and there’s a certain excitement in the locker room and the city. On the one hand, that creates pressure, but on the other hand, it’s good for us. Better than if we weren’t under pressure,” he said.
Larkin understands the challenge of working his way up the front ranks of the heavily-stacked Atlantic Division. “We have to focus primarily upon our games within the division. Every game counts. The new coaching staff will ensure that we’re properly prepared,” explained the Red Wings’ team captain. “Almost every team in the East has improved, and in our division in particular, the competition has been really tough for a long time. It’s not for nothing that a team from our division has always been in the Stanley Cup Final for the past four years.”
Larkin has captained the Red Wings since January of 2021. Since then he’s had not only a lot of responsibility in this function. As the star of the first offensive line, he was also instrumental in boosting the team’s offensive game. He did that brilliantly last season. With 69 points (31 goals and 38 assists) he was at the top of the internal rankings in team scoring. Raymond ended up third in the ranking and Seider fourth. Between Larkin and the rookie duo, Tyler Bertuzzi was in second with 62 points (30 goals, 32 assists).
