The Detroit Red Wings more than survived their first game following Dylan Larkin’s suspension from the team.
Detroit could have folded after the news regarding Larkin’s suspension broke. Even against a lowly team like the Chicago Blackhawks, the noise could have been too much to handle.
Instead, Detroit scored four goals. Three from Viktor Arvidsson, and the Wings enjoyed one of their best performances of the season. Thursday night’s outing was a strong signal that the Red Wings can thrive without Larkin playing top-six minutes or even playing for the team ever again.
Detroit found itself down 1-0 until Arvidsson scored his sixth goal of the year at 7:31 in the second frame. From there, it was all Red Wings as they ultimately scored four unanswered goals and outshot the Blackhawks 23-to-11 in the final 40 minutes.
Few teams respond well to drama on any star player, let alone an ex-captain. For that, Detroit deserves a ton of credit for its efforts.
That doesn’t mean they will be dominant like they were on Thursday every time they hit the ice. But it is the first step to reassure fans that even without a player who has been a cornerstone for years, they will be fine.
Red Wings May Not Have Responded So Well A Month Ago
Go back to Oct. 2, when Larkin was out with an injury. Detroit lost its season opener to the New York Rangers 2-0 and looked destined for the Atlantic Division’s basement.
That was before Emmitt Finnie stepped up and showed growth. Ditto for Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.
Finnie now has nine points and five goals in 13 games. He has also shown he can be a long-term fixture at center, something that was up in the air a month ago. Brandsegg-Nygard has worked his way into regular middle-six minutes and has eight points in 13 contests.
Nate Danielson has yet to produce offensively. But he skated for 15:46 on Thursday night and recorded a block, a hit, and a takeaway. Danielson also hasn’t been half-bad when the Red Wings call his number on the faceoff dot.
Finally, Alex DeBrincat has since signed his extension. That’s a strong signal that he wants to be in Detroit for the long haul. As a seasoned veteran in his prime, DeBrincat has handled the noise surrounding the organization with class when he easily could have also said, “I’m done here.”
This doesn’t even mention names like Lucas Raymond or Moritz Seider — two cornerstones who also figure to be in town for a while. With the cornerstones in a groove, DeBrincat signed, and young forwards growing, it is already clear that this isn’t the same Red Wings team that started the season.
Burning Question Facing Detroit And Dylan Larkin
Now, it is all about where Larkin is going and what the Red Wings are getting for him. With the team playing well and continuing to play well — 5-1-1 in their last seven games — Detroit now has more flexibility regarding trade compensation than it realizes.
It can handle high-potential futures, or even a young, high-upside full-time NHLer who has yet to reach his prime. Larkin may still limit the teams Detroit can trade him to. But trading for futures or younger talent won’t automatically tank the season unless Detroit collapses in the near future.
Right now, and following their dominant 4-1 win over the Blackhawks, that doesn’t appear to be the case. A sound follow-up performance vs. the St. Louis Blues on Saturday could further help drive that point home.
Red Wings Have Reasons for Optimism After Dylan Larkin Suspension