The Detroit Red Wings got their captain, Dylan Larkin, back on Tuesday, and it certainly had an impact on the outcome of the game. Perhaps not the impact you’ve imagined, though.
“It was good to be back out there with the guys, and I gave it all I had,” Larkin said.
The question being posed post-game was whether enough of Larkin’s teammates could say the same.
Detroit coach Todd McLellan wondered if perhaps the return of Larkin from a seven-game absence due to a lower-body injury caused a letdown among the rank and file of the Red Wings.
Instead of Larkin breathing life back into the team, did his arrival lead to the rest of the club breathing a collective sigh of relief?
“Well, the Dylan thing, actually, for as much as he means to the team and how hard he goes and us wanting and needing him back, that maybe even set us back a little bit tonight,” McLellan said.
Larkin Scored In Red Wings Return
Larkin did score Detroit’s second goal in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators that saw the Wings plummet to 10th overall in the Eastern Conference.
During his enforced injury absence, the Red Wings clawed their way to a 3-3-1 record. They gained some much-needed points to remain in the playoff chase. Players stepped up when asked to fill more vital roles.
With Larkin back on board, it seemed as though too many of his teammates took the opportunity to step aside, instead of continuing to fill their assigned roles.
“It was great to have him back,” McLellan said of his captain. “Don’t get me wrong, we need him. We need him to be playing and playing at the top of his game.”
The coach wonders whether too many on the ice took the opportunity to cede the starring role back to Larkin, and to shirk their own responsibilities in the process.
“Okay, we’ve got our leader back, we got our captain back,” McLellan said. “We can take a little bit of a breath.
“I’m not sure if that’s really the case, but I think that could be part of it.”