As the dust settles in Milan, one thing that Red Wings fans can be proud of is their captain's performance on-ice while representing his country. Dylan Larkin had three points in tournament, and the 29 year old forward showed that he was picked and added to the US Olympic Team not only for what he brings to the game, but what he does and how he acts off ice. The Americans beat the Canadians 2-1 in overtime and secured gold in men's ice hockey for the first time in decades.
Much has been said over the past week about Larkin. The fact that even though he isn't one of the members of the team with a letter on his jersey, he's still who many of the team's young players, like the Hughes brothers or Zach Werenski has even been the subject of an article released by the NHL as he has faced off against the best that world has to offer.
Speaking of, Larkin, who the Red Wings frequently rely on to win the initial puck battle, lead the Olympics in faceoff battles won with a 69.6%. When Team USA needed to get the puck on their guys' sticks, they put Larkin out on the ice to go and win it for them. In the gold medal game against Team Canada, Larkin didn't record a stat on the official scorebox, but his presence was felt on the penalty kill. As Team USA continued to find ways to outdo the juggernaut Canadians, it felt oddly reminiscent of the times the Red Wings have been on, buzzing the best teams in the NHL even if they haven't had the biggest names.
The Red Wings are looking for their first playoffs in almost a decade, and in the middle of the season, their captain has gone out and won an international best on best tournament. That kind of success, and that notch on his belt, should help him propel a young team looking for answers and a way to find their footing in what looks to be the most important stretch of hockey they've played wearing the red and white.