DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings today signed center Dylan Larkin to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $8.7 million.

Larkin, 26, has skated in 59 games with the Red Wings this season and ranks among the team leaders with 22 goals (1st), 35 assists (1st), 57 points (1st), 11 power play goals (1st), 21 power play points (1st), one shorthanded goal (2nd), four game-winning goals (1st), 185 shots (1st) and 19:30 average time on ice (4th). The 6-foot-1, 198-pound center represented Detroit on the Atlantic Division team at the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game, marking his second-consecutive All-Star roster selection and third of his career. He was named the NHL's Second Star for the week ending Feb. 5 after helping the Atlantic Division claim its first 3-on-3 title, notching six points (5-1-6), a plus-seven rating, 14 shots and six takeaways in two games, including a hat trick in the championship game against the Central Division. Larkin was also named the NHL's Third Star for the week ending Feb. 19 after tallying eight points (4-4-8) in a four-game span. He recorded his 400th career point with an assist on Jan. 24 vs. San Jose, becoming the fifth-youngest player in franchise history to reach the milestone.

Larkin is currently in his third season as the Red Wings' captain after being named the 37th captain in franchise history on Jan. 13, 2021. He became the first Michigander and native metro Detroiter to wear the 'C' for the Red Wings, assuming a captaincy that had been vacant for two seasons following the end of Henrik Zetterberg's career in 2017-18 due to injury. The Waterford, Mich., native is just the second American to serve as captain for Detroit after Reed Larson (Minneapolis, Minn.) and fifth player to wear the 'C' under Ilitch ownership (since 1982-83).

Originally selected by the Red Wings in the first round (15th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Larkin has played in 563 games with Detroit and compiled 415 points (169-246-415), which is tied for the fifth-most among his draft class. He is currently tied with Vyacheslav Kozlov for 20th place on the franchise's all-time scoring list. Larkin recorded a goal and an assist in his NHL debut as a 19-year-old on Oct. 9, 2015 vs. Toronto, becoming the first teenager to play in the team's opening-night lineup since Mike Sillinger in 1990-91. During his rookie campaign in 2015-16, Larkin was named to the NHL All-Star Game and set the NHL's fastest skater record during the Skills Competition, posting a lap time of 13.172 seconds to break Mike Gartner's 20-year-old record. Larkin also made his Stanley Cup playoff debut with the Red Wings in 2016, contributing one goal and 18 penalty minutes in five postseason contests.

Prior to turning professional, Larkin spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2012-14 before playing one season at the University of Michigan in 2014-15. He was named the Big Ten Rookie of the Year while earning a spot on the conference's First All-Star Team after producing 47 points (15-32-47) in 35 games for the Wolverines. Larkin signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Red Wings on May 21, 2015 and made his professional debut with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins during their postseason run, logging five points (3-2-5) in six games. On the international stage, Larkin represented the United States at five-consecutive IIHF World Championships from 2015-19, totaling 34 points (10-24-34), a plus-15 rating and 32 penalty minutes in 45 games. He captured a bronze medal while serving as an alternate captain in 2018, and also won bronze at the 2015 tournament. Larkin also skated for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, posting one assist in two appearances. He played for his country at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, collecting seven points (5-2-7) in five games. Larkin previously helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with four points (2-2-4) in six games, and claimed a bronze medal at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with seven points (2-5-7) in six contests.

Dylan Larkin, Center

Born Jul 30 1996 -- Waterford, MI

Height 6.01 -- Weight 198 -- Shoots L

Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 1 #15 overall 2014 NHL Entry Draft

Sweet, sweet relief. 

I'll take it. 

Larkin wanted $9, SY was offering $8, most of us thought they will just meet in the middle and it happened, no surprise here. Now he can concentrate on just playing hockey. And  by the way so much for SY apparently putting Larkin negotiations on hold.

Awesome!! Good on ya Larks!!

LGRW !!!!!

Great news! And Larkin’s value really can’t be measured in $$$, but, I’m glad he’s signed. One less obstacle for the team and SY.

Let us all hope the players' COVID escrow get completely paid off next year and the cap rises by 4-5M in 2024-25 (as Sieder and Raymond need long term deals by then) as this is an expensive contract for a 2nd line centre on a championship contending team. Necessary signing--but still expensive given Larkin's limitations.

Larkin + Walman's raises (2.6M + 2.35M for a 4.95M) are essentially built into what the Wings have coming in cap space. They lose Panik's 1.375M retained hit, Nielsen's 500k goes away, Abdelkader's remaining amount goes down by 1.25M, and they gain 1M from the cap's expected increase (4.125M).

SY's got a huge amount to play with that could be even more per spot remaining as minimum salary guys like Edvinsson and Soderblom take 2 of those remaining 7 roster spots on next year's team

Glad see Larkin is staying aboard for the long term.  Happy for ya Dylan!

from Matt Larki of The Daily Faceoff,

Before passing judgment on the term and dollar figures for Dylan Larkin’s new contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings: consider a few other important numbers first.

305: That’s the number of career games in a Detroit sweater for the active co-leaders, Filip Hronek and Tyler Bertuzzi, if you remove Larkin from the equation. He sits at 563.

0: That’s the number of combined postseason games in a Red Wings sweater for every player on the team aside from Larkin, the lone player remaining who competed in Detroit’s last playoff series seven years ago.

213: That’s the gap between Larkin’s career points in a Red Wings sweater, 415, and second-place Bertuzzi among active players.

So when we evaluate the eight-year contract at an $8.7 million AAV he signed Wednesday, we have to consider the context. Is Larkin ever going to be a first-team all-star or league MVP? It’s highly unlikely. He’s already 26, he has never received a year-end all-star or Hart Trophy vote and he sits 54^th in NHL scoring across his eight seasons.

But he’s blindingly fast. He competes in all situations. He has a 5-on-5 relative shot attempt share higher than his team average in seven of his eight seasons. He’s solidly above average on faceoffs. He plays more than 20 minutes per game over the past five seasons. He’s the closest thing the franchise has to a star forward. That’s why it was wise to resist any urge to trade him as a pending UFA, and that’s why it was worth paying him No. 1 center money. Even if he can’t be the superstar who singlehandedly ushers Detroit into Stanley Cup contention during the Yzerplan, Larkin can be the anchor, the solid veteran captain who helps mentor the next generation.

continued

Good on ya Larks. Ya both blinked eyes with the compromise settling in the player’s favor. Good negotiation by the new agent. 

Right on. hopefully Stevie can bring in some draft capital now.

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,

With Larkin signed, a big item in general manager Steve Yzerman’s to-do list, Yzerman now turns his attention toward Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.

Yzerman is expected to speak with the media after Friday's trade deadline. Larkin will talk after Thursday's morning skate. The Wings had a scheduled day off Wednesday.

An interesting piece now for Yzerman is Tyler Bertuzzi, who can be a free agent this summer. There’s been little reported progress between the two sides on a contract extension, fueling speculation Bertuzzi could be dealt by Friday rather than risk losing him for nothing on July 1 when free agents can sign elsewhere.

With the Wings on a three-game losing streak and slipping further from playoff contention, there's also talk Yzerman could expand further and deal prospective free agents such as Pius Suter and Oskar Sundqvist in an effort to add draft picks.

more

Right on.  Bo Horvat money and term.