{"id":558363,"date":"2026-04-23T05:54:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T05:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/558363\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T05:54:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T05:54:18","slug":"red-wings-larkin-its-not-about-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/558363\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Wings Larkin: “It’s Not About Me”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether it\u2019s fair or not, Captain Dylan Larkin<\/a> is the face of the failure of the Detroit<\/a> Red Wings to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. He\u2019s the only member of the team who\u2019s been there for the heartbreak of all 10 successive postseason absences.<\/p>\n

And yes, you better believe that it hurts. But then, you\u2019ve probably seen the pain all over Larkin\u2019s face as he\u2019s been left to explain another year of coming up short of the objective.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it\u2019s been hard,\u201d Larkin said. \u201cIt\u2019s been very difficult. End of the season, it\u2019s never a fun time when you miss the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some with the club\u2019s fanbase want Larkin to shoulder the blame. A portion is even ready to suggest he\u2019s part of the problem. That conveniently ignores his five straight 30-goal seasons, including a career-high 34 goals this season. It overlooks Larkin\u2019s<\/a> willingness to play through the pain of injury again this season, desperately seeking to will the team over the finish line.<\/p>\n

The Red Wings were booed off the ice after getting eliminated from playoff contention in their home finale. <\/p>\n

Dylan Larkin talked about it after the game.<\/p>\n

“There’s been some great years here, and they want us back to that, and that’s what they expect here.”<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa5 @DetroitRedWings<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/r1sBf5Df0U<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chad Britton (@CBrit24) April 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

And yet, Larkin stands up and says he\u2019s the first to need to do more. He believes he could have set a better example by leading the team to overcome so many slow starts and avoid the inconsistency that plagued the Red Wings down the stretch of the regular season.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of that\u2019s on me as captain of the team,\u201d Larkin said. \u201cAs a forward that plays a driving game, I should probably have been out there more and driving the play early in games to set the tone for a team. And that sets a mindset that would go through the entire lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larkin Wants This For Everyone Associated With The Red Wings<\/p>\n

As much as he\u2019s the poster boy for the Red Wings, Larkin\u2019s main focus is not to make all of this about his pain. <\/p>\n

Yes, he wants to make the playoffs more than anything. But he wants that to happen for the entire organization, and for the long-suffering supporters of the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I signed an eight-year deal (in 2023 to remain with the Red Wings), I knew that we had work to do,\u201d Larkin<\/a> said. \u201cI knew that we weren\u2019t going to win the Stanley Cup the next day, but I wanted to be here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be here to help this team in any way I can to win the Stanley Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Larkin doesn\u2019t want to do, as he\u2019s once again left to ask what went wrong, is to make this all about him. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a team sport where there\u2019s 23 guys, and everyone\u2019s important, and everyone plays a role in a winning team,\u201d Larkin<\/a> said. \u201cIt\u2019s the Detroit Red Wings. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get the Detroit Red Wings back in the playoffs, not just me.\u201d<\/p>\n