Red Wings Captain Dylan Larkin Suffers Injury in Loss to Panthers

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin left Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers midway through the third period with an undisclosed injury. The injury casts a shadow over the Red Wings’ playoff push and adds to a growing list of concerns for the team.

Larkin Exits Game with Undisclosed Injury

Larkin, who also recently won a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, crumpled to the ice during the third period and was helped off the ice. “He crumpled up there,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said. “He’s in the back. He’ll get checked out. We don’t believe it’s going to be long term, but he needs to be looked at. We’ll give you an update when we have it.”

Prior to the injury, Larkin had 55 points (28 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games, ranking third on the Red Wings in scoring behind forwards Lucas Raymond (65 points; 20 goals, 45 assists) and Alex DeBrincat (64 points; 33 goals, 31 assists).

Panthers Secure Victory, Tkachuk Nets Hat Trick

The Panthers, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, defeated the Red Wings 3-1, with Matthew Tkachuk scoring all three goals for Florida. Goalie John Gibson stopped 20 shots for Detroit, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers.

“For a team that played last night, we should’ve been able to jump on them,” Ben Chiarot said. “They played a pretty sound defensive game. Their goalie gave them some good saves when they needed it. Not the kind of pop that we were looking for coming out of the gate. Not our best effort tonight.”

Ben Chiarot, Detroit Red Wings Player

Additional Injury Concerns for Detroit

Larkin’s injury is the latest setback for the Red Wings. Forward David Perron is also out for approximately a week with a lower-body injury. He hasn’t played since Jan. 20 and was recently acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on March 5. He has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 49 games.

Austin Watson was recalled from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League under emergency conditions.

Red Wings Trade Deadline Acquisitions

The Red Wings recently acquired veteran forward David Perron and veteran defenseman Justin Faulk, hoping to bolster their roster for a playoff push. Faulk is expected to be in the lineup as soon as Sunday, while Perron is roughly two weeks away from returning.

Looking Ahead

The Red Wings (35-21-7; 77 points) will next face the New Jersey Devils on Sunday in Newark. They are currently tied with the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning, all with 80 points, in the Atlantic Division standings.

The Red Wings face an uphill battle as they navigate these injuries and continue their pursuit of a playoff berth. Updates on Larkin’s condition will be crucial as the team moves forward.

Stay tuned to 247sports.news for the latest updates on the Detroit Red Wings.