Dylan Larkin flourishing through fragmented, sometimes frustrating season

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, center, celebrates his goal with Filip Zadina, left, and Filip Hronek in the second period Wednesday vs. St. Louis. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

DETROIT – The season has been fragmented and frustrating at times for Dylan Larkin, but the Detroit Red Wings captain has overcome obstacles in what has been the best start of his seven-year career.

With 10 goals and 18 points, Larkin has eclipsed his previous highs through 17 games (seven goals and 17 points in 2018-19).

It has been a highly productive albeit unusual season during which he was suspended for a game by the NHL, missed three games due to a family emergency and was removed from a game after the second period because of what turned out to a false positive COVID test.

“The highs and lows, they’re pretty dramatic at times, especially if you let them be,” Larkin said. “I feel at times I’ve really let them get to me. This year, I really worked on not letting that happen, whether it’s going well or it’s not, whether things come into your life and take you out of the lineup for a week or you can’t play a third period, I’m really just trying not to let it get to me and be grateful that I’m here. We have a great group of guys that work really hard and we’re having a lot of fun. That’s what means the most to me this year.”

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said: “It’s not been easy, been a lot of stops and starts in terms of games he’s been in and not been able to play. I think he’s done a really good job of staying focused on what he can control and that’s his effort level and his output in games.”

The Red Wings (9-9-3) face the Buffalo Sabres (7-10-2) Saturday at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit).

Larkin has already surpassed last season’s goal total (nine) in 44 games.

Having a healthy Tyler Bertuzzi, limited to nine games last season due to a back injury, and adding rookie Lucas Raymond’s dynamic skills has helped boost Larkin.

“I’m looking to continue to be there for the guys and play really hard,” Larkin said. “I’m not worried about whether pucks are going in. I’m worried most about the team and playing a good game for the team.”

Blashill also believes an extended summer break, due to a neck injury from a cross-check by Jamie Benn of Dallas late last season, has helped.

“I think he was disappointed in his year last year and I think he refreshed this summer,” Blashill said. “He’s such a worker and has such inner drive that maybe the injury gave him a chance to kind of sit back and refresh a little bit. I think from the beginning of the season he’s done an excellent job.”

Smith might get look in top-six

Blashill said he might take a look at Givani Smith on the line with Pius Suter and Robby Fabbri, which is where he practiced Friday, replacing Filip Zadina, who skated with Carter Rowney and Sam Gagner.

“We kind of have two shooters in Fabbs and Zadina, kind of the same type of player, so Smitty would be a net presence, big-body guy (joining) a playmaking center with a shooter in Fabbri,” Blashill said. “That line has gotten chances but they’re a little slight, so you got a big body up there as well. I’m not sure we’re going to stay with it and certainly don’t know if we’ll stay with it within the game but it’s something we wanted to look at.”

Smith has had a rough season, with just one point (a goal) in 15 games.

“I think he’s been solid the last three games,” Blashill said. “I think he can be a guy who if he can get consistent in his game and bring what he can bring to the table that’s different from other people, he can be a guy who can help us.”

Smith took several bad penalties early in the season but hasn’t been penalized his past 10 games while trying to balance aggressiveness and discipline.

“It’s something we’ve talked to him about and sometimes you take away some of the aggressiveness,” Blashill said. “We’ll continue to make clear to him that we’d like to see him be a physical presence, which he has been at times last couple of games.

“But there’s a lot more to it with him. Him and I have talked lots about being real good in our zone, being real good with the puck moving up through the ice. He should be a real simple player with the puck moving up through the ice, get it out at our blue line, get it in at their blue line and play in the O-zone, because that’s where he can separate himself. He’s got a unique skill-set when he’s in the O-zone, so let’s get there.”

Injury, illness updates

--Joe Veleno didn’t practice the past two days after leaving Wednesday’s game with an upper-body injury and was described as day-to-day and “very questionable” for Saturday.

--Danny DeKeyser didn’t practice Friday after being placed in COVID protocol on Wednesday.

“The protocol, and I’m not going to get into where he’s at with this, is such that, sometimes you’re in the protocol for a test and it can be a false positive, like what happened with Larks,” Blashill said. “Sometimes you’re asymptomatic, and if you’re asymptomatic ultimately if you receive consecutive negative tests after that then you can be (back), and if you’re symptomatic then it’s probably a minimum of 10 days.”

--Marc Staal has practiced the past two days after missing three games with a non-COVID related illness. His status for Wednesday is uncertain.

“He was out for a long time and sick, so I don’t know if he has enough energy,” Blashill said. “Then we got to make sure he’s had enough practice time after being off for eight days.”

More: Alex Nedeljkovic’s play might prompt Red Wings to scrap goalie rotation

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