Dylan Larkin brings Olympic gold back to Detroit as the Red Wings prepare to resume their season Thursday night in Ottawa. The Red Wings captain scored crucial goals for Team USA at Milano Cortina 2026, led the tournament in faceoff percentage, and helped deliver America’s first gold medal since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.
The timing works perfectly for Detroit. Most NHL teams return Wednesday, but the Red Wings get an extra day to recover before facing the Senators at 7 p.m. Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre. Detroit reporter Helene St. James confirmed Monday evening that Larkin is expected to play in that game.
Dylan Larkin remained a big part of leading Team USA to Gold
Larkin proved his big-game reputation at the Olympics by scoring the opening goal in both knockout-round victories for Team USA.
He redirected Jack Hughes’ shot past Jacob Markström to open the scoring in the 2-1 overtime quarterfinal win against Sweden, then struck again to start the 6-2 semifinal victory over Slovakia.
The 29-year-old center finished the tournament with three points in six games while dominating the faceoff circle. Larkin posted a tournament-best 69.57 percent success rate on draws, providing Team USA with crucial possession advantages in tight games.
Coach Mike Sullivan deployed Larkin in a third-line center role with heavy penalty-killing responsibilities. Teammate Zach Werenski called him the heartbeat of Team USA despite not wearing a letter on his jersey. Larkin led the Americans onto the ice for warmups and generated energy throughout the tournament run.
The Red Wings desperately need Larkin to carry that Olympic momentum into the final 24 games of the regular season.
Detroit sits third in the Atlantic Division with a 33-19-6 record and 72 points heading into Thursday’s contest.
That position sounds comfortable until examining the tight playoff race developing throughout the Eastern Conference. The Red Wings have not played since February 4, a 4-1 loss to Utah, giving them nearly three weeks off between competitive games.
Larkin has posted 51 points in 58 games this season, broken down as 26 goals and 25 assists.
His production ranks him among Detroit’s most valuable offensive weapons as the franchise celebrates its centennial season while chasing a playoff berth.
Detroit begins a challenging post-Olympic schedule with games at Ottawa on Thursday, at Carolina on Saturday, at Nashville on Monday, at home against Vegas on Wednesday, and at home against Florida on Friday. The Red Wings need their captain to play at an elite level to navigate that stretch successfully.
Larkin returns to Detroit as an Olympic champion, ready to lead the Red Wings through the most important month of their season.
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