Don’t expect to see Dylan Larkin the lineup when the Detroit Red Wings play Monday at Minnesota against the Wild, but don’t expect Larkin to be out of the lineup for much longer, either.
While he admitted it was unlikely that Larkin would suit up against the Wild, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill didn’t rule out Larkin, who practiced Sunday, for Tuesday’s game at Winnipeg against the Jets.
“He skated well,… Blashill said. “We didn’t do any contact.
“I haven’t had a chance yet to speak with (athletic therapist) Piet (Van Zant) but I believe he’ll be out tomorrow.…
Given the choice, Larkin, who suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury when hit by New Jersey Devils defenseman John Moore in a Dec. 22 game at Joe Louis Arena, insisted he’d play, but the forward who leads all NHL rookies with 13 goals understood it wasn’t his call to make.
“I want to play tomorrow,… Larkin admitted, before adding, “I don’t know whether I’m ready or not. It’s upper body. Not my head.
“I was pretty sore (after the game). That was the biggest thing, dealing with soreness. I did wake up Wednesday pretty stiff. The adrenaline was kicking in during the game and I was able to finish.…
Blashill won’t play Larkin until he’s certain that Larkin is able to perform up to his usual standards.
“The one thing we’re going to do is make sure he’s 100 percent from a physical standpoint and also from a mental standpoint, that he’s ready to go out there and not be tentative at all,… Blashill said. “We’ll see how he feels coming off today and what the trainers think.
“That’s why it’s a day to day thing. We’re of the belief we want our guys to be able to play like you’re 100 percent. You’re never going to feel like you’re 100 percent but can you play like you’re 100 percent? “We think we’ve got a depth of real good players, so if a guy doesn’t feel like he can play at 100 percent or we don’t think it’s the right thing for him, we’ll hold him out and put somebody else in.…
As much as he didn’t enjoy missing his first game as an NHLer, Larkin sought to make the best of it.
“I actually think sitting out was good just to watch the game and seeing it from above,… Larkin said. I take positives out of it. I learned a little bit.
“Just watching guys, like Pav (Datsyuk) from up top . . . how patient he is with the puck, I definitely learned something from that. Several times he just held onto it and used his body to make plays. I think it’s something I’m going to work on. Seeing him do it, I definitely take stuff away from that.
“It’s a little different from on the bench, when the game seems so fast. When you’re up there, obviously it’s not slow but it looks like it is.…
Lineup Changes Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (shoulder) is expected to miss his fourth consecutive game on Monday.
“My guess is he’d be out tomorrow,… Blashill said. “I would anticipate no lineup changes as long as Dylan’s not healthy and ready to go.…
That includes in goal, where Petr Mrazek will make his second straight start. Jimmy Howard will get the nod Tuesday in Winnipeg.
“There’s a lot that goes into it,… Blashill said of the choice to stick with Mrazek. “As I have said through the season, I have great belief in both guys.
“Part of the decision process is he played good the other night, but we look at opponents, situations, a number of factors in deciding who’s going to play and when.…
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