Red Wings vs. Carolina; Larkin Returns to Ice

Game Facts

Who: Red Wings vs. Hurricanes

Where: Little Caesars Arena

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: ESPN+, Hulu/97.1 FM

Records: Red Wings `5-9-4, Hurricanes 15-12-1.

What to Know

The Red Wings got an emotional boost during today’s morning skate when Dylan Larkin went onto the ice.

Dylan Larkin on the ice for today’s morning skate in gray non-contact jersey. Still on injured reserve. #RedWings pic.twitter.com/SuwCDQgvVj

— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 14, 2023

Larkin was injured on Saturday and isn’t eligible to come off injured reserve until Monday. Coach Derek Lalonde says Larkin likely will be held out a little longer than that. “It was great,” Moritz Seider said. “I was even surprised he’s coming out to skate with us. Obviously that put a big smile on everyone’s face. Now it’s about making sure he gets the time and rest and space to be fully ready for whenever he’s going back with us.”…

J.T. Compher and Klim Kostin also will sit out tonight’s game. Lalonde expects Kostin to be ready on Saturday.  Ville Husso will be in goal. ..

The Hurricanes are slumping, having lost five of their last six games. That prompted  a players-only meeting this week. They are without forward Andrei Svechnikov, out with an upper-body injury indefinitely.

Down four forwards (including the suspended David Perron, the Red Wings were buoyed by their win in St. Louis on Tuesday. Robby Fabbri said today the win was a tribute to the team’s depth. “That’s something we pride ourselves on here,” he said. “Up front, back end, in net, we have the depth, we have the guys that can step up when we need it. That game proves it. But we got more games coming up here before Christmas that we’re gonna be out with a few guys, so we gotta keep this going.”

Thr Red Wings are getting goals throughout the lineup, which suits Lalonde just fine. “This added offense is a necessity,” he said. “It’s why we’re successful but when you look down our lineup, just some of the DNA of some of these guys is them to score goals. Even Spronger in our bottom six, he’s lighting it up. Fabbri is lighting it up. You go down our forwards list, it’s hard to find a Selke candidate. Which is fine. That’s our DNA and we’re winning.”