Red Wings Captain Ready to Build on 4 Nations Showing

The Detroit Red Wings seek a playoff spot and their captain is ready to build on his 4 Nations Face-Off performance to help them.

Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Dylan Larkin (21) plays the puck against Team Finland in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Detroit Red Wings kick off their remaining regular season schedule with a matchup against the Minnesota Wild. The Wings currently occupy a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, hanging onto the final Wild Card spot by a single point over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Wings were 7-2-1 in their last 10 and trending upwards.

The Red Wings confidently enter this "second half" of the NHL season. A significant portion of that confidence is due to their new head coach, Todd McLellan, who has instilled a sense of structure and winning into the Detroit lineup. An even larger portion is centered around team captain Dylan Larkin.

Larkin was a standout player at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and he's ready to build on that as the Wings push toward the postseason. Detroit hasn't made the playoffs in eight seasons, but this year could end that drought.

Larkin's performance at the 4 Nations was impressive in many ways. Offensively, he was tactical and aggressive. Over four games, he netted one goal and added an assist. The production doesn't pop off the page, but what was so impressive was his ability to climb the United States lineup so rapidly. Beginning the first game in a bottom-six role, he ended the tournament playing shifts alongside Auston Matthews and Jake Guentzel against Canada. His speed and skating were huge advantages during the tournament, and he excelled when given more ice time.

Defensively, Larkin was excellent. He used them to mitigate the opponent's scoring chances and was a pest on the penalty kill. He recorded the second most shorthanded ice time on the team behind New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck.

Moving forward, Larkin must build on his impressive showing at the 4 Nations. He's played well already this year, recording 23 goals and 27 assists in 55 games. But his performance at the 4 Nations was a new level for Larkin. That's what the Red Wings need for the remaining 27 games. Their postseason hopes are counting on it.

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