Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin continues to leave an impression on the hockey world with his performance at the Cortina Milano Olympic Games.

Larkin opened the scoring as the USA dumped Slovakia 6-2 in their semifinal game on Friday. It was the second straight medal-round game in which Larkin was the one netting the opening goal.

You’ve probably noticed that Larkin is wearing No. 21 for the USA.

Dylan Larkin with his second straight opening goal for Team USA 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/xnJ8p3GOCf

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 20, 2026

By beating Slovakia, Larkin was also overcoming the reason why he wears No. 71 for the Red Wings. That would be Slovakian captain and former Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar. Tatar wore No. 21 in Detroit from 2010-18.

Larkin has opted to stay with No. 21 as his Team USA jersey number. He first donned 21 for the USA at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. Larkin has worn 21 on the back of his USA jersey through eight separate tournaments. He was 21 at the World Championship in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. That was also his uniform number in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off before carrying on to don the digit in his first Olympic experience.

Number 21 wasn’t Available When Larkin joined the Red Wings

When Larkin was chosen 15th overall by the Red Wings in the 2014 NHL entry draft, he originally wore No. 25 when attending the club’s development camp. He also wore it during a six-game AHL stint with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the 2014-15 season.

However, by the time he signed with the team, that number was gone. Defenseman Mike Green, signed as a UFA, took No. 25.

Larkin wore No. 19 with the USNTDP and when playing NCAA hockey for the Michigan Wolverines. Of course, he wasn’t going to get that number in Detroit. It had been retired in honor of current Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman.

Choosing to go with 21 also wasn’t going to work. Tatar was wearing that number.

NYI @ DET – 12/31/2010 – Game #38

Tomas Tatar (1) – 3-3 Tie

Goal #131 #LGRW pic.twitter.com/H7itklOVg6

— Red Wings Goals (@RedWingsVids) August 20, 2025

Larkin asked for No. 17, but that was also gone to a recent UFA addition, forward Brad Richards. Red Wings equipment manager Paul Boyer suggested No. 71. Larkin accepted the number and has since made it synonymous with him and Red Wings hockey.

Larkin has only worn No. 71 once in international hockey. It was his number when he played for Team North America in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.