As expected, the ageing Detroit Red Wings didn’t look like a playoff contender to start the NHL season. However, things looked up after they posted 11 wins in a 15-game stretch a few weeks later. The light at the end of the tunnel soon disappeared though as the team then won just seven of its next 25 games and lost several players to injuries. The Red Wings were enjoying a three-game winning streak as of Feb. 4Th, but it looks like it’s a case of too little too late as far as the playoffs are concerned.
Detroit still sat 10 points behind the last wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and had half a dozen teams to pass in the standings to reach it. If they miss the postseason again this season it’ll be the third straight year they’ve failed to make the playoffs. Of course, this is a shock to the fan base in Detroit since the club made the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons before the streak was halted in 2016/17.
The future isn’t too dark in the Motor City though as 22-year-old Dylan Larkin looks destined to become a legitimate NHL star. Larkin has produced 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points after 51 games and is on pace for a 34-goal, 76-point campaign. The speedy youngster was taken 15th overall in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft and impressed as a rookie with 23 goals and 45 points in 2015/16 and was a plus-11.
The organization and its fans were left scratching their heads the next season though when Larkin dipped to just 17 goals and 15 assists in his second year for 32 points and was a minus-28. The native of Waterford, Michigan bounced back last season with 63 points in 82 games, but still found the back of the net just 16 times for a career low. It now looks like he’s back on track for good and will set new highs in goals and points this year.
Larkin is maturing at a steady rate and has led the squad by example. He’s a tireless worker who combines skill and determination and it’s certainly paid off. In fact, he’s impressed head coach Jeff Blashill and general manager Ken Holland so much that he’s likely to be named the team’s next captain. Larkin has been averaging 21:54 of ice time per game this season to rank eighth in the league for forwards and is depended on in all game situations. He’s also proven to be a timely scorer with four game-winning goals so far this year and is one of the best faceoff men in the league at just over 54 per cent.
It’s true that Larkin doesn’t really excel in one specific area of the game, other than perhaps his speed, but he does do everything well, which makes him a very complete two-way player. If he can keep developing at the same pace Red Wings’ fans may be comparing him to their former captain and current Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman. But while Larkin is the team’s brightest star there are also some other fine young prospects in the organization to help him out.
The future success of the organization also lies in the hands of young forwards Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jacob De La Rose, Christopher Ehn, Filip Zadina, Evgeny Svechnikov, Michael Rasmussen and Anthony Mantha. There’s also some promise on the blue line with the emergence of Dennis Chowlowski, Joe Hicketts and Filip Hronek.
With the NHL trade deadline approaching on Feb. 25Th, the Red Wings could have some big decisions to make regarding veterans such as defencemen Nick Jensen and Niklas Kronwall as well as forwards Thomas Vanek and Gustav Nyquist and goaltender Jimmy Howard. Holland may move some of his veterans if possible to make room for younger prospects next season. Either way, the Red Wings should have a good shot at returning to the playoffs in 2019/20.