DETROIT — Dylan Larkin "looks likely" to make his season debut on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators, head coach Todd McLellan said after morning skate, putting the Detroit Red Wings forward on track to return after missing the first two games with an upper-body injury.
McLellan said Larkin still has one more hurdle to clear before getting the go-ahead to compete. The former captain missed Detroit's 0-2 start with losses to the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets, and was introduced from the press box during the season opener where he was roundly booed by fans in response to his off-season trade request, which still stands.
Larkin's captaincy was also stripped as a result of the request. The Waterford, Mich., native is coming off his fifth straight 30-goal season, scoring 34 goals with 33 assists in 74 games last season as Detroit missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
Detroit is also dealing with multiple injury woes elsewhere in the lineup. Forwards Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton are out week-to-week with upper-body injuries, while J.T. Compher is day-to-day, per McLellan. The exact nature of the injuries is unclear.