Larkin opens up about scary injury, navigating off-ice challenges during recovery

DETROIT -- On Tuesday afternoon, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin spoke to the media for the first time since he was knocked unconscious and helped off the ice after being cross-checked from behind by Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph on Dec. 9.

Larkin addressed several topics surrounding the last 10 days, including the incident itself, his recovery, NHL player safety and navigating an emotionally tough stretch of schedule.

“I don’t remember the play,” Larkin said. “I remember (head athletic trainer) Piet (VanZant) coming out, them asking about my neck. I’ve seen a lot of people talk about my past history and I don’t think that has anything to do with that play. My neck is fine. There was some concern about my neck, but it was mostly my head and my jaw.”

A passionate team leader who wears his heart on his sleeve, Larkin added it has been hard to talk about the incident.

“It’s just not something you want to be a part of,” Larkin said. “It’s tough. I was not happy with how it went and how the after-effects went. It’s not really a hockey play. It’s just unfortunate how my last week has been.”

Larkin said it was difficult to watch the hit after not remembering the specific details of the play.

“It’s hard to watch and to text people how you’re feeling,” Larkin said. “It’s a weird feeling. I’ve just been pretty down. I’m sure that’s pretty normal. It’s just one of many emotions I’ve had over the last week.”

For Larkin, experiencing the incident also elevated his concerns about safety on the ice.

“I’ve talked to guys on our team and other teams,” Larkin said. “It’s hard to feel safe out there and know how to protect yourself. I truly believe we have the best refs in the world in the NHL. I just think it’s the message being sent down from the top on what is safe and what it not and how to discipline, there’s a lot of questions there. It’s kind of scary as a player.”

Larkin was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 11, retroactive to Dec. 9. After missing four games, the 27-year-old forward was activated from IR ahead of Monday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, recording an assist in 21:13 of ice time.

Detroit, which continues battling injuries to key players, is looking to snap a three-game losing streak Wednesday night against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre.

The Red Wings captain said his team won’t let injuries become an excuse to derail a successful season.

“You’re going to have to work through stretches every season,” Larkin said. “I’ve been on teams when things like this happen, where we’ve had injury problems and never really had a chance. I don’t feel that way with this team.

“We’re going into Winnipeg tomorrow night with some guys out of the lineup, but I still feel like we have a chance to win. Last night, we felt really disappointed we had that effort. It’s a completely different feeling than in the past. We’re in a rut, but there’s ways out of it and it’s the guys in the room.”