Larkin's Upper-Body Injury Removes Detroit's Best Center for Opening Weekend

Dylan Larkin will miss the Detroit Red Wings' opening weekend against the New York Rangers (Friday) and Winnipeg Jets (Sunday) due to an upper-body injury that has tracked him since training camp. Head coach Todd McLellan announced Thursday that Larkin, who sat out all of Detroit's preseason games, is day-to-day, with a potential return targeted for Tuesday's game against Ottawa—a week away from today. The injury timing compounds an already fractured organizational moment: Larkin requested a trade over the summer and has since been stripped of his captaincy after six seasons holding the role. The Red Wings have yet to name a replacement captain.

With Larkin unavailable, Andrew Copp shifts into the top center slot and assumes Larkin's role on Detroit's primary power-play unit. J.T. Compher, Nate Danielson, and Marco Kasper backfill the remaining center depth. This is a material reallocation. Larkin posted a career-high 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games last season—sustained offensive production that anchored both even-strength and advantage-situation work. Copp is a capable fill-in, but his career assist rate and primary-play generation sit materially below Larkin's benchmarks, especially in elevated roles. The bump to the top line and power-play unit masks genuine downgrade in offensive ceiling.

From a betting perspective, the edge exists in power-play point totals and the structural change to Detroit's center depth. Larkin's 67-point season included consistent multi-point nights—25 of his 74 games logged 2+ points—and a high concentration of playmaking on the power play when Detroit had advantages. Copp's on-ice assist rate drops noticeably when elevated into a primary creator role; he's best deployed as a secondary facilitator, not the engine. With Larkin out for at least Friday and Sunday, and potentially longer if the injury tightens up during the week, Detroit's power-play point total for those two games should compress relative to their season projection. The market may have baked in Larkin's availability as a given; early-week injury news often gets repriced slowly because books assume a return within 48 hours. If Larkin remains questionable into Tuesday, that's a multi-game erosion, not a one-off miss.

The secondary angle sits in team total for Detroit's opening games. A squad built around Larkin's offensive ceiling suddenly enters the Rangers and Jets matchups without their best center and playmaker. New York's defense is heavy on transition pressure; Winnipeg plays in-your-chest, switching-heavy coverage that punishes depth-line offense. Neither opponent is forgiving for a team running third and fourth-line centers into primary roles. The Red Wings play four of their first six games at home, which normally buffers offensive risk. The Larkin absence narrows that home-ice edge significantly. Unders on Detroit's team total in both Friday and Sunday contests carry directional value if Larkin is not cleared; the line likely opened with him available, and news of a multi-game miss came Thursday afternoon, leaving limited time for market adjustment on early slates.