The Detroit Red Wings suffered a bigger blow than what was on the scoresheet in their last 5-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Captain Dylan Larkin left the game during the first period with a scary head injury following a hit from Senators Mathieu Joseph. Fortunately for the Red Wings, the medical scans came back clear but there is no timetable for Larkin’s Return.
**Medical Update**
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I’m told all scans are negative (clear) for @DetroitRedWings Captain Larkin. No timeframe for his return. #LGRW #HockeyTwitter #HockeyX #Michigan #PureMichigan pic.twitter.com/OhnUqw4yNY— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) December 10, 2023
Detroit Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin Out
During Saturday night’s Red Wings – Senators matchup, Detroit captain Dylan Larkin found himself battling in front of Ottawa’s net in the first period. During that battle, the Senators Mathieu Joseph appeared to cross check Larkin near the back of the head. Following the hit, Larkin fell forward and was hit again in the head by Parker Kelly. The one-two punch left Larkin on the ice with little to no movement for a while. The scary incident took Larkin out of the game and the Senators would move on to a 5-1 victory. Following the incident, David Perron jumped in and cross checked Artem Zub. Zub really had nothing to do with the play. Due to what was deemed “intent to injure” Perron found himself facing an in-person hearing.
The Red Wings have been a pleasant surprise for those in Detroit this season. Sitting in the first wild card spot for the playoffs with 32 points, Detroit’s success has largely been a result of Larkin’s play. So far, Larkin has 11 goals and 14 assists in 24 games played. Larkin has embraced the role of the Red Wings captain and is the heartbeat of the team.
What This Means Moving Forward
Losing Larkin will be a tough hole for Detroit to fill. Not only is he their captain, but he is also their top centre and is tied with Alex DeBrincat for most points on the team. While Detroit will rely on newly signed forward Patrick Kane for production, it will be players such as Andrew Copp and Joe Veleno to solidify the lines down the middle. For a team that has been performing pretty well so far, they hope to weather the storm during Larkin’s absence which hopefully for Detroit will not be too long.
Meanwhile, Larkin was on pace for a great season. He sits in the top forty in points, points per game and goals. Following a 79-point season last year, Larkin was looking like he was picking up where he left off. Most importantly, Larkin will hopefully make a full recovery before returning to the ice. While ideally he misses little time, head injuries are a serious matter. The hope is Larkin has no further complications. The initial scans seem positive which is great news. But until he is ready, Detroit will have to move forward without him.
Main Photo Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports
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