“Got the chance to skate with Filip Zadina last week when he was in town and a couple of the other young guys,” Larkin said Thursday during the Larkin Hockey School at Lakeland Ice Arena in Waterford. “Looked really skilled and he’s a great kid and seems really excited to be here. We talked a little bit and I told him there’s a couple teams that went over him that he’s happy that he’s here with us and I’m happy he’s here with us.”
It has only been four years since Larkin was the Wings’ first-round pick, 15th overall, in the 2014 draft.
Larkin was asked if he offered Zadina any advice.
“I just said, ‘Hey, man, there’s opportunity, we need a player like you and hopefully I get to play with you and work as hard as possible when you go home. Enjoy summer but when you come to camp, there’s a spot there and take everything as seriously as you can,'” Larkin said.