Detroit Red Wing Dylan Larkin Shines at All-Star Weekend

All-Star Criticism

Larkin took part in the fastest skater competition alongside such names as Cale Makar and Andrei Svechnikov. Larkin was accused of not giving it his all during this competition according to some after posting a time of 14.45 seconds for his one lap. Svechnikov would win the competition with a time of 13.699 seconds. Perhaps this was the reason that Larkin was backchecking during the three-on-three tournament for the Atlantic division. The Atlantic division won the tournament with Larkin scoring a total of five goals in the two games he played, including a hat-trick in the final.

The Red Wings captain still holds the record for the fastest time in this competition’s history. In 2016 19-year-old Larkin broke the record that was set by Mike Gartner of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rookie Red Wing clocked a lap time of 13.172 seconds at Bridgestone Arena. At the time Larkin was surprised that he was as fast as his competitors. It showed in some small way that he could hold his own at the NHL level. The now 26-year-old has done nothing to disprove this over the course of his career.

In spite of this impressive stat line and play on both sides of the puck, Larkin did not win the most valuable player for the 2023 NHL All-Star game. This award instead went to Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers. Tkachuk scored five of his seven points on the day in the semifinal game against the Metropolitan Division. The 25-year-old has scored 25 goals and added 41 assists in 49 games played for the Panthers in the first half of the 2022-23 NHL season.

A Trade Candidate?

The more conspiratorial NHL observer may see the strong two-way play of Larkin during the all-star game as showcasing himself for other teams should he not be able to come to terms with general manager Steve Yzerman on a contract extension. Larkin was complimentary of Maple Leafs’ star Mitch Marner. He said that playing with Marner was "probably the highlight of his week so far." The prospect of playing with one of the best young players in the NHL must be tantalizing for Larkin, even if he sees himself as a Red Wing for life.

Discussions about Larkin’s contract negotiations seemed to spill out into the locker room during all-star weekend. It seems that Marner is not the only player in the NHL that would like to play with Larkin. This is not surprising given his performance on the NHL’s tentpole event. The speculation about the contract negotiations has left Larkin frustrated. He wants to keep the negotiations between his camp and Yzerman. "I don’t really want my business out there," Larkin said. "I understand we’re in the spotlight and fans want to know. They deserve to know. But I think it’s not really the most truthful, you know?

Time will tell whether or not Larkin signs with the Maple Leafs, or any other team for that matter, who is one of the biggest rivals of the Red Wings as two of the original six teams in the league. This must be in Larkin’s mind as he has stated that he wants to remain a Red Wing. Whether or not Yzerman feels the same way is another question. Larkin will always have the time he scored five goals in two games for the Atlantic Division in the 2023 all-star game. Larkin knows that he is in a position of power as the best player on the Red Wings" current roster.

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