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Wings' Larkin's dad a closet Leafs fan |
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As Dylan Larkin prepared to make his NHL debut, he let everyone in on a little secret – he’ll be making that debut against the team that was his father’s favorite up until the day the Detroit Red Wings called Larkin’s name 15th overall at the 2014 NHL entry draft.
That’s right. Kevin Larkin was a huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
Was, emphasized Dylan Larkin.
“He did grow up a Leafs fan, but he will be rooting against the Leafs,” the younger Larkin confirmed of his father’s intentions as the Wings and Leafs prepared to tangle Friday at Joe Louis Arena.
Larkin, 19, will become the first teenager to play in a Detroit season opener in 25 years. Mike Sillinger was the last in 1990.
As to his father’s ties to the Leafs, Kevin Larkin comes by it naturally. He used to live in the northern Toronto suburb of Scarborough until he came south on a college soccer scholarship and settled in Michigan, where Dylan was born.
“He’s born and grew up in Toronto,” Dylan Larkin said. “He has a big family from Scarborough.
“I’m American and he’s Canadian, so he’s got a lot of buddies texting him that are pretty excited that I’m playing my first game against the Leafs.”
No one is more excited about it than the young man himself, although Larkin, who will skate on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader, was taking a businesslike approach to his big-league debut, insisting the pinch-me moments were all behind him now – well, almost.
“Maybe tonight when my name’s called during introductions, but I’m here to play hockey and have fun so I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as possible and kind of live in the moment,” Larkin said.
Ferraro In
He went about his work quietly during training camp, but apparently coach Jeff Blashill was paying attention because forward Landon Ferraro will be in the starting lineup for the Wings Friday.
“I’m happy with it so far,” Ferraro said. “I’m on the opening roster. That was my goal coming into camp was to be here at the end of it. I’m happy with how things went.
“I felt I got a little better as it went along. It’s tough getting back into it right away, but I’m feeling good now.
“I’m just making sure I keep putting one foot in front of the other and making sure I’m making strides to help the team so I can stay in the lineup as well.”
Forwards Joakim Andersson and Tomas Jurco and defenseman Alexey Marchenko will be Detroit’s healthy scratches Friday.
Franzen Ready
It will be a different sort of debut for Detroit forward Johan Franzen, who will play his first NHL game since suffering a concussion last January.
“I missed hockey a lot,” Franzen said. “I don’t know when I got hurt last season, but it feels like I haven’t played in a year or two.”
Like most, Franzen is intrigued by the match-up of new Wings coach Jeff Blashill against former Wings coach Mike Babcock of Toronto.
“We’re going to play similar style of hockey, both teams,” Franzen said. “It’s going to be the team that pays more attention to detail I think and be patient and don’t give up too much to the other team.
“A lot of their how they want to play is very similar. They’re different personalities, that’s for sure. It’s good to hear a new voice in the locker room. We’re going to play for him that’s for sure.”
The objective is to make the team run by their old coach 0-2 on the season.
“That’s all I care about,” Franzen said. “It would be great to get a win out of this.
“Everyone is going to be excited.”
He Won’t Go
Forward Daniel Cleary, who cleared waivers Thursday and was assigned to AHL Grand Rapids, has informed Wings general manager Ken Holland that he won’t report to the club’s minor-league affiliate.
What the next step with Cleary will be remains uncertain but Holland confirmed that none of the $950,000 salary he was slated to be paid would count against the cap.
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