Red Wings Head Coach Todd McLellan Blasts His Captain Dylan Larkin For Poor Effort After 4 Nations Face-Off

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Julien Trekker
February 28, 2025 (11:17)

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Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan blasted his captain, Dylan Larkin, in post-game comments for his poor efforts since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Since he was named head coach of the Red Wings back in December, Todd McLellan has turned the team around, and despite a tough start to the season, the Red Wings are now holding on to the first wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 66 points.

He showed that he's not afraid of calling players out when they don't perform up to the standards yesterday after losing their crucial matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

McLellan shared his honest opinion on his captain Dylan Larkin's performance.

He didn't shy away from going after him, saying he was missing and couldn't make plays he usually does.

In his own words:

"I can't beat around the bush - he was missing.

He was one of the players that I'm talking about (being missing), and he's a big boy. He can handle hearing that. He's going to hear it from me tomorrow.

Just a lot of mishandles, unsure plays that he usually makes."

Larkin took part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, but McLellan isn't taking it as an excuse, as the player had time to rest since the end of the tournament, saying he expects more from him just like many other players:

"I'd like to think that the 4 Nations is so far past us already. We've had enough rest. I'm not using it as an excuse, so I'm not even gonna go there. We're playing big games. We need our big players to play big games. And we'll need more from not only him but from some others."

McLellan went on to talk about the rest of the team and wasn't much happier about how the other players performed as well:

"Our net play, basically on all four, and our ability to commit, answering it
over again, wasn't where it needed to be. And I'll add to that. We had some guys missing.

We had some key people that play... we're not talking about eight-minute players, we're talking about 21-, 22-minute players that were missing for whatever reason. Sometimes that happens, you know, they'll get a chance at redemption outdoors two nights from now."

The Red Wings will be back in action tomorrow against the same Blue Jackets, a must-win game that will be held outdoors, at the Ohio Stadium for the NHL's Stadium Series.

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FEVRIER 28 \| 326 ANSWERS Red Wings Head Coach Todd McLellan Blasts His Captain Dylan Larkin For Poor Effort After 4 Nations Face-Off Do you think the Red Wings will qualify for the playoffs this season?
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