Dylan Larkin was one of the few bright spots in another dreary season for the Detroit Red Wings that saw them miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season, a unfortunate feat that hadn’t been accomplished in three decades.
“Just building toward next year, and having the confidence that I know I can score in this league,” he said near the end of the season about the strong campaign that he personally enjoyed.
“When I get hot and I have confidence in myself shooting, it’s having fun and it helps our team.”
Head coach Jeff Blashill also attested to Larkin’s development and his potential moving forward.
“Dylan continues to build his game.
“Up to 60 in points, you know, ultimately, you’d like to see him continue to take steps and become a 70-point guy and an 80-point guy. And now, you’re a star, with the motor that he has. I think it’s a good sign for us.”
Larkin played in all 82 games for the Red Wings this year and put up a career high 63 points (15 goals, 47 assists) with 61 PIM.
Take a little bit and watch Larkin’s top highlights from this past season:
BONUS CONTENT – 10 YEARS SINCE JOHAN FRANZEN DOMINATED THE AVALANCHE
The legendary rivalry of the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche had some of the greatest moments in hockey history, but it had never seen anything like the one-man performance that Detroit forward Johan Franzen put together in the 2008 Western Conference Semi-Finals.
Meeting for the sixth time in the playoffs, neither team had swept the other, but that streak was broken due in large part to Franzen’s scoring dominance. He scored two, three, one and three goals respectively in Detroit’s sweep, totaling nine goals. It broke the Detroit Red Wings franchise record for most goals in a playoff series; the legendary Gordie Howe had scored eight goals in a seven-game series in 1949.
