Red Wings Rumors: Insider Places Big Expectations On Dylan Larkin For Upcoming Season

Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin reacts before 2025 game.

The Detroit Red Wings are heading into the 2025-26 season with captain Dylan Larkin facing a new level of scrutiny. 

After a seventh straight year without playoff hockey, NHL insider Mike Rupp publicly challenged the 29-year-old to “drag the team to the playoffs” and finally deliver a breakthrough at Little Caesars Arena. Larkin, who last appeared in the postseason as a rookie in 2016, carries both the weight of the “C” and the burden of unmet expectations in Hockeytown.

NHL insiders push Larkin for his defining moment

On the NHL Network’s top-20 centers list, Larkin ranked 15th, but Rupp argued it’s time for more than steady production. “He needs to have his moment where this guy is just out of this world,” Rupp said. Larkin has been consistent (scoring 30 goals and 70 points last season) yet critics point to his absence in big playoff moments compared to peers like Brayden Point and Mark Scheifele. 

With Detroit finishing just 39-35-8 last year, the call for Larkin to elevate his play has grown louder.

Can Larkin change Detroit’s narrative?

While some insiders label him a “power forward,” others like Brian Boyle argue he’s more complete, and praising his two-way game and leadership. Still, for a franchise that once measured itself in Stanley Cups, regular-season stats are no longer enough. 

Larkin has voiced frustration with management’s lack of big offseason moves, but with young talents like Elmer Soderblom and Jonatan Berggren extended, the Red Wings’ window could be nearing.

Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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