Dylan Larkin ready to return to playoffs

Months ago, the Detroit Red Wings completed the fourth year of what fans and pundits like to refer to as the "Yzerplan", named for beloved former team captain and current general manager Steve Yzerman. And while the good news is that the team did make progress in 2022-23, the bad news is that they once again finished outside of the postseason, making it seven straight years of being unable to compete for the Stanley Cup. 

For captain Dylan Larkin, who was re-signed to a lengthy eight year contract extension by the team earlier this year, he believes that they've set the wheels in motion for a return to postseason play next year. 

“I do believe the past couple years we’ve taken steps,” Larkin said. “I really am excited. But we’ve got to come together. … You’ve got to stay healthy. You’ve got to click at the right time. Can’t go on big slides. So, those are big focuses for us.”

“I’m really excited. We really shored up our back end, and that’s going to be huge. It’s going to help everyone.”

Meanwhile, Larkin stated that he really had no intention of departing the only NHL team that he's ever known.

“The whole story means something to me,” Larkin said. “I know I was here last year, and there were a lot of different conversations with the looming contract and everything. But I really didn’t want to go anywhere else. I wanted to have that.

“Now it’s about keeping that and living up to the contract for the next eight years.”

Larkin is in Detroit for the long haul, and fans are hoping that this is the year that they begin a new lengthy postseason streak.

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