Just days into the start of the 2026 NHL season, one of the biggest storylines unfolded around the Detroit Red Wings. Amid boos and cheers, Dylan Larkin returned to the ice in the victory over the Ottawa Senators, receiving strong support from his teammates, according to Todd McLellan.
“I can tell you on the bench his teammates were rallying around him. They believe we’re a better team with him than without him, and the rest of the group was happy for him, so it was a team win, and Dylan did what Dylan needed to do,” McLellan said once the game concluded.
The hostility toward Larkin clearly came from only part of the crowd, while the team has supported his return despite what happened weeks ago. There is no doubt that his return makes the Red Wings stronger as they look to become contenders.
The Larkin-Red Wings saga
What started as a storybook hometown hero narrative spiraled into absolute chaos when Dylan Larkin dropped a bombshell trade request over the summer, citing frustration with the franchise’s endless rebuilding phase. Things got even messier when he reportedly weaponized his no-trade clause to try to force a move to a tiny list of contenders, leading the front office to strip him of his captain’s ‘C’ while fans showered their former darling with heavy boos at LCA.
Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings.
Though he suited up for his 2026 debut and dropped a 2-point performance to beat Ottawa, the underlying tension between the player, the fanbase, and the organization remains an unresolved soap opera hanging over Detroit’s entire season.
McLellan bets on Larkin
Despite all the noise surrounding the off-ice drama, Todd McLellan seems more than willing to keep Larkin front and center as the driving engine of Detroit’s attack this season. McLellan knows you don’t bench elite talent when wins are on the line, and after seeing how Larkin “played with his heart on his sleeve” in his debut against Ottawa, it’s clear the bench boss respects his pure competitive drive and eagerness to be out there making things happen.
If Larkin keeps putting up multi-point performances and grinding through every shift, McLellan will have no hesitation leaning heavily on him as his go-to top-line center, regardless of any underlying front-office friction.
Key takeaways
- Todd McLellan stated Detroit Red Wings players fully supported Dylan Larkin’s return.
- Dylan Larkin requested a trade over the summer due to frustration with the rebuild.
- The Red Wings stripped Dylan Larkin of his captaincy following his offseason request.
