Not that it should be any surprise, but Pierre LeBrun of TSN/ESPN reports Red Wings general manager Ken Holland confirmed that 19-year-old rookie Dylan Larkin will remain with the NHL club for the rest of the season:
It certainly isn’t surprising but Dylan Larkin will indeed remain a Detroit Red Wing past the nine-game mark, Wings general manager Ken Holland confirmed via text message Tuesday.
Larkin, native of Waterford, Michigan, is the latest example of homegrown talent for the Detroit Red Wings. At 19 years old he is second on his team in scoring, and first in shots on goal. After spending the start of the season on Henrik Zetterberg’s wing facing top-line competition, head coach Jeff Blashill removed the training wheels, and gave Larkin his own line with Tomas Tatar, and Teemu Pulkkinen.
The writing has been on the wall for Dylan ever since making his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs in game one of the 2015 season. There was no doubt in my mind that the former Big Ten Freshman of the Year was onto great things at the NHL level.
With the team going through some “ebbs and flows” in terms of adapting to a new coach, and a new system, Larkin has shown no evidence of slowing down in the process. Every time he’s on the ice, you simply notice the number 71. He’s fast, he’s smart, he makes plays in both ends, and has a fun tendency to throw the puck at the net when given even the slightest of chance.
After becoming the youngest player to appear in a season-opener for the Red Wings in over 24 years, it was obvious that he had the ability to energize the top line which led to a strong three-game winning streak to start the season. Since then, the Red Wings have been searching for their game, but Larkin has not lost a step. He continues to be a very special talent, and could very likely make a push in this years race for the Calder Trophy.
