Center becomes first metro Detroit native to wear “C” for franchise
The Detroit Red Wings have announced that center Dylan Larkin has been named the team’s captain, becoming the 37th captain in franchise history and the first Michigander and native metro Detroiter. Additionally, centers Luke Glendening and Frans Nielsen will serve as alternate captains for the 2020-21 season.
Larkin, 24, has served as an alternate captain for the Red Wings since 2018-19, and assumes a captaincy that has been vacant for the last two seasons, following the end of Henrik Zetterberg’s career in 2017-18 due to injury. The Waterford, Mich., native is just the second American to wear the “C” for Detroit after Reed Larson (Minneapolis, Minn.) and is the fifth player to serve as captain under Ilitch ownership (since 1982-83). Larkin’s career has been exclusively linked to the state of Michigan, playing his youth hockey in the Lakeland Hockey Association and with Belle Tire AAA Hockey, before spending two seasons with the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based U.S. National Team Development Program (2012-14), one season at the University of Michigan (2014-15) and debuting professionally with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins during the team’s postseason run in 2014-15 prior to making the Red Wings as a 19-year-old in 2015-16.
“Dylan is an extremely competitive and driven player who sets the standard for dedication and conduct for the Red Wings,” Steve Yzerman, Red Wings executive vice president and general manager, said. “This is the right time to name our new captain and we’re certain Dylan is ready to take on the responsibility. He will be an outstanding leader for us, both on and off the ice.”
Entering his sixth season with the Red Wings in 2020-21, Larkin has appeared in 389 games with the team since 2015-16, totaling 266 points (107-159-266) and 246 penalty minutes. In 2019-20, Larkin led the Red Wings in points for the third-consecutive season, becoming one of just six players in franchise history to lead the team in scoring for three-straight years (along with Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg). Additionally, he’s one of just 12 players to lead Detroit in points three-or-more-times in his career. Larkin also became one of the youngest Red Wings to reach 100 career goals, becoming the sixth player in the last 40 years to reach that mark for Detroit prior to turning 24 and, at 23 years and five months, was the youngest to do so since Yzerman.
“I am extremely excited that Dylan Larkin will be our captain,” Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said. “To be named captain of the Detroit Red Wings is an enormous honor and one that Dylan has certainly earned. He is ready for the challenges that come with serving as captain and will be complimented by a great leadership group ready to support him.”
