Detroit Red Wings Fans Have a Dylan Larkin Injury Update

The Detroit Red Wings suffered a setback in their Friday night loss to the Florida Panthers when Dylan Larkin went down with a non-contact lower-body injury in the third period when his knee bent awkwardly and he fell to the ice. He managed to skate off the ice and head into the locker room, but he did not return in the eventual 3-1 loss.

Detroit Red Wings Give Fans An Encouraging Update On Dylan Larkin

Larkin’s injury initially looked worse for wear, as he was in clear pain and it had fans fearing the worst. But the Red Wings gave an encouraging update on Saturday afternoon.

“Coach McLellan says Dylan Larkin will not play tomorrow (Sunday), will be on the trip and take it day-by-day.”

This was in line with what head coach Todd McLellan said following the game on Friday night.

“He crumpled up there. He’s in the back. He’ll get checked out. We don’t think it’s going to be long term, but he needs to be looked at. We’ll give you an update when we have it.”

Larkin has been one of the Red Wings’ most consistent players, posting 55 points and 28 goals across 63 games. Until his injury, he had been one of the most durable players on the team, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time. He also represented Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

With a playoff berth a strong likelihood for the Red Wings this season, they want to stay as healthy as possible, especially following a trade deadline that saw them bring in key veterans David Perron and Justin Faulk.

Red Wings Fans Had Flashbacks After Larkin Left the Ice On Friday

This wasn’t the first time Larkin went down with an injury in March. In 2024, the Wings were in the thick of the playoff race when Larkin sustained a lower-body injury and missed three weeks. Ironically, he suffered that injury against the Panthers, who went on to win the Stanley Cup that season.

The Red Wings went 2-6-0 in Larkin’s absence, getting outscored 37-20 in that span. By the time Larkin made it back into the lineup, the Red Wings were left to play catch-up hockey and they ultimately missed out on a playoff berth.

With Larkin day-by-day this time around, and the fact he will join the Red Wings for their road trip that starts on Sunday night, it won’t be the case here. That’s a massive sigh of relief following what initially looked like an injury that would have taken time to heal.

Red Wings Recalled an Intriguing Rookie Following Larkin’s Injury

On Saturday morning, the Red Wings recalled Michael Brandsegg-Nygard under “emergency conditions.” An intriguing forward, Brandsegg-Nygard played in the Red Wings’ first nine games, logging an assist.

Playing his first full season in North America, Brandsegg-Nygard thrived after the Red Wings sent him to the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he recorded 37 points and 16 goals across 50 games. At the moment, it appears Brandsegg-Nygard may replace Larkin in the Red Wings’ lineup while Larkin is on the mend.

If Brandsegg-Nygard plays in another game, however, he will burn a year on his entry-level contract. That will be an interesting storyline over the next few days to see if Brandsegg-Nygard indeed sees ice time.