Dylan Larkin scores in season debut for Red Wings after trade request
The former captain, who asked for a trade in the off-season, was cheered after scoring in a 5-3 win over Ottawa.
DETROIT — Dylan Larkin scored a goal in his season debut for the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night, his first game since his trade request became public.
Larkin was booed by the home crowd when he touched the puck on his first shift but was cheered after giving Detroit a 2-1 lead later in the first period of a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.
"There was a lot of emotions, but just happy to be a hockey player today," Larkin told Daniella Bruce of Detroit Sportsnet after the game. "We needed this win today, that was most important."
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He added an assist on a power-play goal in the second period and was named the game's first star.
The 30-year-old centre was activated off injured reserve before the game after coach Todd McLellan said he would play as long as he was cleared by doctors.
Larkin was stripped of the captaincy this summer after his trade request became public and longtime general manager Steve Yzerman was moved out of that role in mid-July.
He reported to training camp injured, missed the start of the season and received a frosty reaction from fans during introductions at the home opener last week.
Fans at that game had taped over his name on jerseys with words like "Loser," "Traitor" and "Leavin" and at times chanted, "Sell the team."
Larkin initially gave the Red Wings only three trade destinations last spring, Florida, Minnesota and Vegas, before reportedly adding more possibilities in recent weeks.
A Michigan native, Larkin has played his entire NHL career with Detroit, which last made the playoffs in his rookie season a decade ago, the longest active drought in the league.
On his first shift, Larkin was slow to get back defensively, and Ottawa's Tim Stützle scored off the rush.
He made up for it by putting the puck in to give the Red Wings the lead later in the first period.
In the second period, he also engaged in a line brawl after sticking up for teammate Alex DeBrincat following a late hit from Ottawa's Ridly Greig as the buzzer sounded, earning a roughing penalty.
As he skated off the ice, Senators enforcer Nick Cousins was seen taunting him about losing the captaincy while pointing at his chest, and Larkin chirped him back before heading to the locker room.
He finished with one goal, one assist, four shots and skated over 20 minutes of ice time, trailing only Moritz Seider on the team.
He received mostly cheers from the crowd as he came out for one final salute after being named first star.
The Red Wings had lost their previous game, a 5-2 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 5 where Kyle Connor scored twice.
With files from The Globe and Mail, Sportsnet and Yahoo Sports