Dylan Larkin’s return to the Detroit Red Wings lineup is close enough that the morning skate already looked like a dress rehearsal.
On Tuesday, Larkin skated with Viktor Arvidsson and Lucas Raymond and also joined power-play work as the Red Wings prepared to face the visiting Ottawa Senators. Head coach Todd McLellan said there is still one final step before Larkin is officially cleared.
"It looks that way right now," McLellan said of Larkin's chances of playing. "He's got one more hurdle to cross.
He's still on IR, so the doctor will look at him now. If he's clear, he's playing.
If he's not, then he won't."
That possibility comes after a rough stretch around Larkin and the team. Fans made their feelings obvious Friday night when he was introduced with the other inactive players and was booed heavily, a reaction tied to his summer trade request.
Inside the locker room, though, the message has been very different. The players have consistently said the Red Wings are better with Larkin on the ice, and they’re ready to welcome him back.
"We've got his back," Alex DeBrincat said after Tuesday's skate. "We're here for him, and we're trying to win games out there, and he's going to help us do that.
We're going to do anything we can to support him...he makes our team a lot better. We're excited to have him back."
McLellan made the same point, stressing what Larkin means to the group.
"The players have said they believe we're a better team with Dylan Larkin in the lineup, and I can't argue with that," McLellan said. "We'll be excited about getting him back, and they'll expect his best every shift."
Moritz Seider, who could eventually follow Larkin as captain, also said the group is eager to get him back.
"He'll obviously provide, hopefully, a big spark," said Seider. "Everyone is looking forward to hopefully getting two points tonight."
Seider also addressed the possibility that Larkin could get another frosty reaction from the crowd after Friday’s boos. He said fans are entitled to feel how they feel, but the quickest way to quiet that noise is for the team to start playing better.
"It's never something you want to hear. But as I said before, this is their opportunity to express their feelings, and however they feel, they're gonna make it noticed. I think we're prepared for everything, and the better we play, I think the easier it is to eliminate noise."
Larkin had previously said in a press conference last month that he spoke to teammates about his trade request, but he did not share the details of that conversation. Seider said that part should stay private.
"He talked to us, and he mentioned a couple of things," Seider said. "Besides that, I think that's between us and him, and shouldn't be commented (on) further."
The Red Wings could certainly use Larkin’s offense. They were shut out in their opener against the New York Rangers and didn’t get on the board until late in the second period against the Winnipeg Jets, eventually falling 3-2.
Larkin has scored 30 goals in each of the last five seasons, and McLellan said that kind of production is badly needed.
"Let's face it, we've had a tough time scoring so far this season, and Dylan's been able to provide offense for this team for a number of years, so that should help us," McLellan said.
Detroit is also dealing with more injuries. Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton have been designated as "week to week," while J.T. Compher, who will not play Tuesday, is "day to day."
Unsigned RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains in Sweden amid his contract stalemate.
The Red Wings and Senators are scheduled to drop the puck shortly after 7:00 p.m. ET.
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