The Detroit Red Wings struggled with their captain, Dylan Larkin, out of the lineup with an injury. The Red Wings, who once had a secure spot within the Stanley Cup Playoffs and were competing for the highest spot within the Atlantic Division, are on the skin looking in as they face the Ottawa Senators in a large game on Tuesday night. Nonetheless, with nearly all hope lost, Larkin emerged from the tunnel for warmups to provide the Red Wings some added motivation.
GIBBY AND LARKS LEAD US OUT pic.twitter.com/8NvINNBSZC
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 24, 2026
The matchup with the Senators is Detroit’s biggest game of the season. If Ottawa is capable of beat them with each Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot out of the lineup, they’d surpass the Red Wings within the standings. With the heater that among the Eastern Conference teams have been on, it might be hard to see the Red Wings with the ability to dust themselves off and get back within the fight.
The mental swing between these teams of Ottawa losing Chabot and Detroit gaining Larkin is tough to disregard. If the Red Wings discover a solution to get the train back on the tracks and regain a playoff spot, it’ll likely be because their emotional leader returned from his injury and led them there.
Dylan Larkin is not only the emotional leader. He can be their second-leading goalscorer and third in points. The lineup looks much deeper with him down the center, and with just 12 games remaining, Detroit will need all the assistance it will possibly get. If Detroit falls apart down the stretch and misses the playoffs again, it won’t be a fairly offseason for Steve Yzerman.