MLive’s Ansar Khan spoke with Red Wings forwards Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin regarding the fact that Raymond and Larkin will be battling against each other at the Four Nations Face-Off, with Raymond representing Team Sweden and Larkin representing Team USA:
Larkin and Raymond will meet next Monday when the U.S. faces Sweden. Raymond called it “weird” playing against a teammate. Both said it’ll be fun.
“We talked about it a little bit,” Raymond said. “Obviously, we’re very good friends off the ice, so first time playing against each other will be a little special. We’ve joked around a little bit, but yeah, it’s going to be fun.
“You go from hanging out every day, playing with each other to all of a sudden playing against each other in a big stage like that where it’s a lot of emotions involved, a high compete level. I don’t know what I’ll do if I see him in the corner next to me, but it’ll be a good time.”
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“Obviously, he’s having a heck of a year,” Larkin said of Raymond. “He means so much to our team. Proceed with caution with him. We want to win and you want to play well, but he’s my buddy and you look out for him and smile. But again, that being in Boston, that’ll be another great atmosphere. I am excited to have a home game in Boston. It’s usually one of the toughest buildings to play on the road. It’ll be nice to have those fans on our side.”
Red Wings coach Todd McLellan is a little worried about the wear and tear that Raymond and Larkin will experience while the rest of the team is resting during the Four Nations break:
“The intensity and the stress of that tournament is going to travel with them everywhere they go and then they’re going to come back and step right back into the season again,” McLellan said. “They miss out on their bodies feeling better and all that type of stuff. But we’ll find days for those two somewhere along the way to try to get them what they need.”
