Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin made his season debut Tuesday at home against the Ottawa Senators.
Larkin requested a trade from the Red Wings in June and was stripped of the captaincy in September.
He missed the entire preseason and the first two games of the regular season due to an upper-body injury. Larkin was mercilessly booed when introduced among the scratches before the Red Wings' home opener.
Dylan Larkin was introduced at the Red Wings home opener and received a whole lot of boos https://t.co/fOsgr1FzMZ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 2, 2026
Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider stated that he's ready if fans react negatively to Larkin again.
"It's never something you want to hear, but ... this is their opportunity to express their feelings, and however they feel, they're gonna make them notice," Seider said, per 97.1 The Ticket. "So, I think we're just prepared for everything. The better we play, I think the easier it is to eliminate noise."
Larkin skated on the top line between Viktor Arvidsson and Lucas Raymond.
The 30-year-old said in September that he wasn't ready to discuss the reasons for his trade request.
The Michigan native tallied 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games last campaign as Detroit missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season. He won Olympic gold in February with Team USA.
Larkin is entering his 12th season with the Red Wings after being drafted by Detroit in 2014. He has 276 goals and 643 points in 808 career contests.
Detroit forwards Marco Kasper, Mason Appleton, and J.T. Compher are unavailable against Ottawa with undisclosed injuries. Kasper and Appleton are out week-to-week, while Compher is considered day-to-day.
