Larkin heart and soul of Red Wings’ push to make Stanley Cup Playoffs

DETROIT -- Dylan Larkin is to the Detroit Red Wings what Nathan MacKinnon is to the Colorado Avalanche, Connor McDavid is to the Edmonton Oilers and Nikita Kucherov is to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The voters might not consider him for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player like the other three. But he’s Detroit’s heart and soul, the Red Wings’ MVP.

“He’s our best player,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “He’s our [first-line center]. I think he’s a star in this league. I get some of the next-tier guys -- MacKinnon, McDavid, Kucherov, some guys that have come through here. He feels like that to us.”

Larkin leads the Red Wings in goals (25) and points (51) entering their game against the St. Louis Blues at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday (12 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN360) as they try to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

In Detroit’s 2-1 overtime win against Colorado on Thursday, he scored the tying goal on the power play with 7:58 left in the third period and set up the winning goal at 3:42 of OT, charging to the net, drawing two defenders and dropping a behind-the-back, backhand pass to forward Patrick Kane in the slot. The win vaulted the Red Wings (30-20-6) into the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Larkin’s impact goes beyond offense, though, as Detroit’s captain.

“One of the things I’ve noticed is just his leadership, how not only can you say the right things in the locker room, but you bring it on the ice every night,” Kane said. “He’s obviously been very productive offensively, but it’s the way he’s in every situation for the team -- penalty kill, big face-offs, up a goal on the ice. Obviously, he’s so effective scoring goals and putting up points, but I think the overall package is something that sticks out.”

Larkin has been through a lot in Detroit, and he’s hungry in the prime of his NHL career.

He grew up in the Detroit area and played for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program when it was based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Red Wings selected the hometown boy in the first round (No. 15) of the 2014 NHL Draft.

After a season at the University of Michigan, he debuted as a pro in the Calder Cup Playoffs with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. Then he played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in his rookie season with the Red Wings in 2015-16.

The 27-year-old hasn’t appeared in the playoffs since. He’s the only player still with the Red Wings from that 2015-16 team.

The Red Wings had a shot last season. They held the second wild card in the East on Feb. 23. But they fell out of it and sold ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. After Larkin made a long-term commitment by signing an eight-year, $69.6 million contract March 1, they made a particularly painful move March 2 by sending forward Tyler Bertuzzi to the Boston Bruins.

“It hurts,” Larkin said then. “He’s one of my best friends.”

He choked up.

“Sorry,” he said. “But it hurts.”

Larkin said Thursday one of the things he has worked on is to let go of the past.

“It’s not a ‘poor me’ thing,” he said. “It’s, we’ve got a lot of guys that have worked extremely hard all season and sacrificed a lot, and we’ve got good players in our room that want to write a new story. I think that’s been my thought process all year, and just trying to play for the guys in that room and try to play consistently every night.”

Larkin is averaging more goals (0.50) and points (1.02) per game than ever before his NHL career. He’s surrounded by much more talent after the addition of several players, including Alex Lyon in goal, Shayne Gostisbehere on defense and Kane, Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher and Daniel Sprong up front.

“I think he feels he doesn’t have to do it all himself, and it doesn’t have to be a great offensive game to win,” Lalonde said. “I think there’s some growth in him. Obviously, [in the 2-1 OT win against the Avalanche on Thursday] he was involved in both goals, but I think he’s learning to manage his game, win some shifts, set up the next line.”

This story is far from over. But it sure feels like the Red Wings are writing a new one, and Larkin is playing a key role.

“We’re in a better spot now, but we’re not satisfied,” Larkin said. “We want more, and we want to keep pushing. I don’t feel like this group will ever get comfortable, but we want to get in a spot where the last couple weeks of the season we’re trying to win games to see who we’re playing against.”