There is a chance Dylan Larkin could play for the Detroit Red Wings against the visiting Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
In any other season, that would be welcome news to their fans. But Larkin alienated the team’s fanbase by requesting a trade in the offseason that has yet to be fulfilled.
Larkin missed Detroit’s first two games due to an upper-body injury. He was part of the pregame introductions for the team’s home opener Friday and was heavily booed when his name was announced.
“Obviously, he’s got to live with the ramifications of asking for a trade,” coach Todd McLellan said.
Larkin surely would hear some jeers from the home crowd if he does suit up, but his teammates would welcome his assistance.
The Red Wings lost their first two games on a three-game homestand, getting blanked 2-0 by the New York Rangers on Friday, then falling 3-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
Detroit gave up three power-play goals to fall behind the Jets 3-0, then staged a belated rally.
“We know what we can do,” Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat said. “I feel like we deserved better in these games. But we have to work for it. It’s just not going to come to us. We’re not skilled enough to go and expect to score six goals. We have to keep locking it down on defense, playing hard and getting to the net.”
Larkin, who was stripped of his captaincy during training camp, is also a regular on the penalty-kill unit. Winnipeg’s first two goals came after the Red Wings were whistled for unsportsmanlike-conduct and abuse-of-officials penalties.
“The penalty kill failed us and the unsportsmanlike conduct right after they scored and bang they’re up 2-0,” McLellan said.
Viktor Arvidsson, who was signed as a free agent to boost the Red Wings’ offense, scored Detroit’s first goal against the Jets late in the second period, and Emmitt Finnie tallied early in the third. However, the Red Wings could not produce a tying goal.
“The guys on the bench are (angry) when we’re down, they’re not happy,” McLellan said. “But no one is digging graves. The effort didn’t sag (Sunday).”
The Senators will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set. They posted a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday to go to 2-0-0 on their season-opening three-game road trip. Ottawa won its opener 3-2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Tim Stutzle led the Ottawa offense in Boston, scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist. Michael Amadio supplied a goal and an assist, and Drake Batherson also scored.
Both of Stutzle’s goals came in the opening period, the first during a Bruins power play.
“You always want to start the season out strong,” Stutzle said in a TV interview. “I think both wins (we) were really deserving. Top to bottom, everyone was great again tonight.”
The Senators played without defenseman Jake Sanderson, who sustained an undisclosed injury against the Maple Leafs. He will also miss the Detroit game.
“Went home, got some testing done,” coach Travis Green said. “I would call it not as serious as we were hoping it wasn’t going to be and I don’t think it’s going to be. But he definitely won’t play the rest of this trip.”
The Red Wings won the season series 3-1-0 in 2025-26, with Larkin notching four goals.
–Field Level Media
