Dylan Larkin Powering Red Wings Back to Playoffs

The Detroit Red Wings haven't made the playoffs in 10 years. Dylan Larkin wants to end that drought.

Jan 21, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin (71) celebrates aftert scoring the winning goal in overtime against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Dylan Larkin last tasted playoff hockey at the young age of 19. He was in his rookie season with the Detroit Red Wings, when he earned a bid to the All-Star Game and finished fifth in the race for the Calder Trophy. Since that season, however, the Red Wings have failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the past 10 years. If Larkin has anything to say about it, that’s going to change very soon.

On Jan. 21, the Red Wings toppled the Toronto Maple Leafs in an entertaining and nail-biting 2-1 victory in overtime. It was Detroit’s seventh win in its last eight games, a statistic that shows just how hot the team is at the moment. At the center of the triumph was none other than Larkin, who, just like Red Wings legends before him, buried the game-winner with 1:52 to go in overtime. After he scored, he pumped his fist in celebration as his teammates rallied around him in jubilation. It was a victory that just meant more, all because it signaled that the Red Wings, a club that’s been wandering in the desert for a decade, were about to emerge into the promised land.

D-BOSS FOR THE WIN 🐙

The Red Wings complete the season sweep of the Maple Leafs thanks to Dylan Larkin's Subway Canada OT winner! pic.twitter.com/OMpXYXbFQT

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 22, 2026

“[Larkin] is not letting the Detroit Red Wings miss the playoffs this year,” Patrick Maroon, a 14-year NHL veteran who now works for NHL Network, said of the American center.

He’s not wrong.

Larkin’s Leadership Setting the Tone for Red Wings

Jan 16, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USADetroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) talks with defenseman Moritz Seider (53) during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Through 52 games, Larkin has posted 25 goals and 22 assists. His 47 points rank third on the team behind Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat. But it’s Larkin’s leadership and selflessness — he’s been Detroit’s captain since 2021 — that separate him from the rest of the pack. His response after his heroic game-winner was emblematic of that fact. Instead of claiming all the glory, he credited Moritz Seider, who stole the puck from Easton Cowan, allowing Larkin to deliver the Red Wings the victory.

“That’s diesel right there,” Larkin said after the game in compliment of his teammate. “He has a diesel engine. He chases guys like that in practice all the time, and I knew when he started chasing Cowan that he was going to get the puck because he does it. He plays like that starting in training camp every day, really. Strong stick, strong skater. He almost put it in the corner, but I caught up to it and was able to finish it off. I would have liked to go back to him to reward him for all the hard work, but I ran out of real estate.”

But Larkin does deserve some praise, because without him there’s no way the Red Wings would be where they are at the moment. What’s more, he continues to make history night in and night out. The overtime goal against Toronto was his 12th game-winner in an extra period of his career, which tied him with Sergei Fedorov — another Detroit legend — for the most all time in franchise history. Again, Larkin deflected the acclaim, instead bringing attention to just how amazing Fedorov was.

“It’s an asterisk, because if he had 3-on-3 overtime, no one would be catching that,” Larkin said.

He’s probably not wrong about that.

What’s Next for the Red Wings?

Thirty games separate Detroit from its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the 2015-16 season. All it has to do is finish this race strong. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but if anybody can help lead a team to the place it needs to be, it’s Larkin. He’s got that “C” on his chest for a reason: He’s a leader who desires the best for his club.

“Dylan Larkin’s not going to be denied this year,” Maroon said.

If Larkin has anything to say about it, that prophecy will lead to the Red Wings being back in the playoffs, right where the franchise belongs.

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