HENDERSON, Nev. -- Dylan Larkin is as homegrown as it gets.
Born and raised in the Detroit area, he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round (No. 15) of the 2014 NHL Draft. He went to the University of Michigan in 2014-15, made his pro debut with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs and has played for the Red Wings ever since.
Know why he wears No. 71? Long story, but he flipped No. 17, which forward Doug Brown wore with the Red Wings from 1994-2001. He played for Brown and with his son Christopher growing up.
The center became Red Wings captain Jan. 13, 2021, and signed an eight-year, $69.6 million contract ($8.7 million average annual value) with them March 1.
“The whole story means something to me,” Larkin said at the NHL North American Media Tour at America First Center on Wednesday. “I know I was here last year, and there were a lot of different conversations with the looming contract and everything. But I really didn’t want to go anywhere else. I wanted to have that.
“Now it’s about keeping that and living up to the contract for the next eight years.”
Larkin is the leader of a team full of local ties, a team trying to take another step after failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for seven straight seasons, its longest drought since 1970-77.
Detroit added defenseman Jeff Petry (Ann Arbor, Michigan; Michigan State), center J.T. Compher (University of Michigan) and forward Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills, Michigan) in the offseason, after adding center Andrew Copp (Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of Michigan) last offseason.
Larkin played with Copp and Compher in college. He and Petry are neighbors in suburban Detroit. He got married Aug. 6, the day the Pittsburgh Penguins traded Petry to the Montreal Canadiens. The Red Wings ended up trading for Petry on Aug. 15.
Though the 27-year-old is too young to have watched Petry’s dad, Dan, pitch for the Detroit Tigers from 1979-87 and 1990-91, he’s a big Tigers fan and watches Dan work as an analyst on Tigers television broadcasts on Bally Sports Detroit. He calls Dan “Mr. Petry.”
Jeff will wear No. 46 for the Red Wings the way Dan did for the Tigers.
“It’s special that he picked No. 46,” Larkin said. “That’s pretty cool. I have noticed Jeff seems really happy, like a weight’s been lifted.”
There are pros and cons to playing at home.
Larkin said there isn’t more pressure playing in front of family and friends than there is already as pro athlete, but there are more demands and distractions, even if loved ones have the best intentions. He said he was just talking to someone about it, maybe DeBrincat.
“My first couple years, my parents, they’d say, ‘Hey, want to come home for dinner?’” Larkin said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, sure. A homecooked meal sounds nice.’ But all of that was kind of … like, I would be tired the next day.
“Now I’ve kind of learned how to say no respectfully. I’ve got a job to do, and I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to get ready to play tomorrow night, and usually that entails being home with my wife and just relaxing. So, I’ve really had to learn that.”
General manager Steve Yzerman has said he wants good players. He doesn’t care where they’re from. But it’s a bonus if he can find good players from the Detroit area, and it might help attract them. They know the area. They know each other. They want to be there, and they care.
Look at the Red Wings depth chart now, and it has more skill and depth, especially when you consider the other offseason additions: goalie James Reimer, defensemen Shane Gostisbehere and Justin Holl, and forwards Klim Kostin and Daniel Sprong.
“As guys have started to come into town and get on the ice, I see size -- minus Alex,” Larkin said.
Larkin laughed. DeBrincat is 5-foot-8, a little shorter than, say, Holl and Petry, who are 6-3.
“But he makes up for it,” Larkin continued. “But on our back end, there’s some big bodies and big, long sticks. For me, that’s the hardest to play against, when there’s big guys that can move well.
“I’m really excited. We really shored up our back end, and that’s going to be huge. It’s going to help everyone.”
Larkin said he is cautiously optimistic -- cautiously, because he has been excited about offseason moves the past couple of seasons, and the Red Wings still have missed the playoffs. They continue to face a stiff challenge in the stacked Atlantic Division.
But they have improved their point total each season under Yzerman, from 39 to 48 to 74 to 80. After adjusting to first-year coach Derek Lalonde last season, the returning players, at least, are more familiar with how they want to play entering training camp.
“I do believe the past couple years we’ve taken steps,” Larkin said. “I really am excited. But we’ve got to come together. … You’ve got to stay healthy. You’ve got to click at the right time. Can’t go on big slides. So, those are big focuses for us.”
Wouldn’t it be something if Larkin and the other local boys make good?
