Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin is set to make his 2026-27 season debut on Tuesday night against the visiting Ottawa Senators, pending final medical clearance, head coach Todd McLellan told reporters. Larkin missed the first two games of the year due to an upper-body injury sustained in offseason training.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Top-Line Utility: Skated alongside Viktor Arvidsson and Lucas Raymond at the morning skate.
- Scoring Relief: Detroit enters Tuesday’s fixture having scored just two goals across their opening two regulation losses.
Why the Return Comes at a Critical Juncture for Detroit
The Red Wings find themselves searching for offensive spark following consecutive losses to open the 2026-27 campaign, dropping a 2-0 decision to the New York Rangers and a 3-2 contest to the Winnipeg Jets. Todd McLellan noted that the team desperately requires an offensive catalyst. Let’s face it: We’ve had a tough time scoring so far this season, and Dylan’s been able to provide offense for a number of years, so that should help us,
McLellan told reporters.
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Larkin enters his 12th franchise season looking to build on a productive 2025-26 campaign where he netted 34 goals and 33 assists across 74 games. Teammate Lucas Raymond emphasized the immediate tactical boost of inserting their center back into the lineup. The way he drives the puck, his skating, just that presence on the ice too, it’s good for our team,
Raymond told reporters.
How the Offseason Discontent Shapes the Locker Room Atmosphere
Tuesday’s matchup against Ottawa also marks Larkin’s first game action since a turbulent summer dominated by trade demands. Larkin requested a trade after last season and provided Steve Yzerman, who was general manager at the time, with a short list of teams for which he would waive his no-trade clause. Consequently, Larkin was stripped of his captaincy during training camp.
The reception from the home crowd has been complicated. When Larkin was introduced from the press box during Detroit’s home opener against the Rangers, he was roundly booed by fans at Little Caesars Arena. Larkin declined to detail the specific reasons behind his trade request, maintaining that it was a difficult decision.
| Metric | 2025-26 Season Statistics |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 74 |
| Goals | 34 |
| Assists | 33 |
| Total Points | 67 |
Depth Chart Pressures and Injury Complications
Beyond the top-line integration of Larkin, the Red Wings are managing mounting health concerns across their forward depth. McLellan confirmed that forward J.T. Compher is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, while forwards Mason Appleton and Marco Kasper are sidelined on a week-to-week basis. With 13 forwards and eight defensemen currently on the active roster, activating Larkin from injured reserve will require corresponding roster adjustments before puck drop against Ottawa.
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