Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin spoke with the media today, and the Hockey News’s Connor Eargood reports that Larkin is healthy and raring to go:
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin logged one of his most explosive seasons, breaking point-per-game pace for the first time in his career with 69 points in 68 games. Entering the 2024-25 season, Larkin feels he has more in the tank.
“I know I have a next level,” Larkin said Thursday at the opening day of Red Wings training camp. “I would like to see what I can do. I’d like to be a dominant player like I have been when I’m healthy. And that’s a big thing for me is staying healthy this year and trying to dominate.”
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Before arriving in Traverse City, Larkin said his offseason training didn’t differ too much from his usual schedule. He did have an upper-body surgery during the summer — not a terribly significant one, but surgery nonetheless — that he had to recover from. But even if he faced such tough injury luck last season and had to commit time to repair and recovery, Larkin didn’t let this hold back his training.
“I actually was probably a little bit more intense this summer, but I think (I) just approach it the same every year,” Larkin said about his offseason. “I’ve been around for a bit now and know what my body needs, and really it’s about maintenance throughout the year, putting yourself in a good spot on the ice. Not putting yourself in a bad spot.”
Part of Larkin’s regimen included working out at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth with a who’s-who of NHL stars. The groups included teammates Andrew Copp, Ville Husso and DeBrincat, among others.
Even if he’s in position to have a big season, Larkin knows that some things are out of his own influence. He quickly mentioned that there’s a certain luck factor to injuries that he can’t control. He also feels that, despite recent injury history, he has enjoyed relative health compared to what some other players face. For that, he’s thankful.
“I don’t want to make a big deal about it,” Larkin said. “I feel that I’ve been — knock on wood — very healthy throughout my career and I would like to stay that way. It’s just the small stuff. And I’m more than capable of playing through it but hopefully it’s just a good year.”
Larkin also addressed Moritz Seider’s absence, as the Free Press’s Helene St. James noted:
“It is strange,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “That’s his situation, but I know he wants to be here.”
General manager Steve Yzerman said earlier this week that he didn’t think the sides were far apart – but that distance hadn’t closed by the time the Wings took the ice for the first of four straight days in Traverse City.
The Wings have about $8.7 million left in their coffer after signing Lucas Raymond to an eight-year, $64.6 million deal on Monday. Larkin described Seider as “one of my close friends.”
“It’s been him and his agent and Steve and the guys understand that,” Larkin said. “And we’re here to get back to work and start building towards Oct. 10. He’s a huge part of our team and we need him. But it is strange not having him. We’re all hoping it can get done pretty soon.”
Missing camp is one thing – the Wings amended by having Justin Holl skate in Seider’s place next to Ben Chiarot Thursday – but once the exhibition season begins next week, the clock ticks a little louder. But on Monday, Yzerman sounded encouraged, “I’m hopeful we can get a deal done at some point – sooner than later would be better for both parties. I don’t think we’re terribly far apart but we’ll hopefully we can progress to get him here as soon as possible.”
Update: The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan took note of Larkin’s remarks as well:
The Wings ultimately would miss the playoffs on a tiebreaker. But the experience earned from that late-season push, Larkin said, will be invaluable.
“It stung a little bit, and it was extremely hard to get over that,” Larkin said in his first interview with media of the season. “But we found out what we had in our room with our guys.
“We battled and came up short by one point, and you learn how valuable every point is. You saw growth in everyone. Growth as a team, from our young players.”
There were plenty of new faces on the ice Thursday, as camp began. Patrick Kane, who signed later last season, is in his first official Wings’ camp, and newcomers Vladimir Tarasenko, Erik Gustafsson, Cam Talbot and Tyler Motte were on the ice.
“We have a lot of new faces, which is always a challengem but that’s why Traverse City is so important and getting the guys together and making them feel comfortable,” Larkin said. “You look at the guys we added, they kind of bring maybe a little more youth and the same roles of the guys we lost (to free agency, trades). I’m expecting we have a great camp and hit the ground running.”
