Via Paul Kukla of Abel to Yzerman comes this great quote from Dylan Larkin, discussing whether the U.S. national team needs to see more participation from its top players:
Red Wings captain and Team USA forward Dylan Larkin was passionate about how he hopes the 4 Nations makes Americans who have skipped the World Championships reconsider.
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) February 21, 2025
“That’s where it starts. Pride for your country. Pride for your flag. Putting that crest on.” pic.twitter.com/qK8ykIHzAn
Also:
Larkin on the Olympics: "There is something to look forward to with this group, which is great. That's the big one. And I know that it's a little bit of a different tournament, different rules, but we really feel like we can play any kind of game on any kind of surface and…
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 21, 2025
Here’s a wee bit more from Larkin from ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark at 3:35 AM:
Larkin, who has represented the U.S. at five men’s worlds, said USA Hockey has “had a tough time” getting players to participate at the tournament. He said his hope is that Team USA’s 4 Nations run will make more Americans want to play.
“I think guys are at home watching this and I hope they are wanting a piece of this,” Larkin said. “They got to go to the world championships and prove themselves and play for their country. We got to start winning that tournament. I think that’s where Canada, those guys go and they play. That’s where it starts. Pride for your country. Pride for your flag. Putting that crest on and going out for games is an unbelievable feeling.”
