The leader of the Detroit Red Wings was in major distress after taking a weird hit on Saturday night.
In the latter half of the second period against the Ottawa Senators, Dylan Larkin had to leave the game with an apparent upper-body injury.
The captain was battling in front of the the Senators’ net against forward Mathieu Joseph. Joseph caught Larkin with a high hit near his head, while Parker Kelly came in and made contact with the former Michigan Wolverine as Larkin was falling down.
Larkin then went down to the ice hard, temporarily laying motionless. A scrum immediately ensued as veteran forward David Perron went after Artem Zub, thinking he was the culprit.
The stretcher was brought onto the ice, but Larkin managed to get to his feet, and was helped off the ice.
Joseph and Kelly each received roughing penalties. Perron received a match penalty for intent to injure.
Detroit has yet to disclose the extent of Larkin’s injury.
Not even a minute after the incident, Patrick Kane notched his first goal with the Wings to tie the game at one.
This is not the first time Larkin has had to leave after taking a hit near his head and neck. During the COVID-shortened 2021 season, Dallas Star forward Jamie Benn cross-checked Larkin in the neck, forcing him to wear a cervical collar for eight weeks, after a brief hospital stay.
In October 2021, his first game back from that injury, Larkin took a hit from behind by Jospeh, then as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Larkin quickly got to his feet and punched Joseph in the face, resulting in a one-game suspension.
Larkin, who was named the 37th captain in Wings’ history in January 2021, has 11 goals and 14 assists in 23 games this season, and has totaled 462 points in 607 games.
The Red Wings (14-7-4) are currently third in the Atlantic Division, seven points back of the Boston Bruins for first.
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