from Will Burchfield of 97.1FM,

Dylan Larkin notched a point in his sixth straight game in the Red Wings' 3-2 win over the Golden Knights on Thursday, a couple hours after it was reported that he and the team 'remain far apart' in negotiations on a new contract. It's rare that anything leaks out in Detroit under Steve Yzerman, so perhaps this is just posturing by those on the other side of the table. The Wings' latest offer was apparently 'not received well' by Larkin's camp.

Either way, the report rings true: were Larkin and the Red Wings close to reaching an agreement, you get the sense they would have actually agreed by now.

Detroit wants to keep its captain, and its captain wants to stay in Detroit. That much seems clear. The Michigan native has been the Red Wings' best player from the moment Henrik Zetterberg retired five years ago. Larkin's value to the team is glaringly evident whenever he's not on the ice, like last month in Minnesota when the Wings wilted without him. Less clear is his value relative to the rest of the NHL.

Larkin has 110 points in 114 games over the last two seasons, the two best of his career. That's high-end production. Is it elite? Not quite. It's actually on the lower end by the standards of a No. 1 center: Larkin's 0.96 points per game over this stretch ranks 23rd in the NHL among players at his position. He is a really good player, bordering on great, who's exceedingly important to his team.

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