Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Larkin Reminisces About 2016 Fastest Skater Win

Published

2 years ago

February 4, 2022

Bob Duff

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is back at the NHL All-Star game for the first time since his 2016 win in the fastest skater competition.

Can it really be six years since Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin blew the doors off the rest of the NHL? It was at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game that Larkin, a rookie at the time, wowed everyone with a record-breaking performance to win the fastest skater event during the skills competition.

Larkin’s winning time was 13.172 seconds. His performance shattered the record of the 13.386 seconds set by Hall of Famer Mike Gartner that had stood for two decades.

13.172 seconds. #TBT x @CocaCola pic.twitter.com/PAn6mg2NPO

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 3, 2022

Looking back, setting a record wasn’t foremost on Larkin’s mind that night. Not falling down was.

“I don’t want to blow a tire or something,” Larkin said. “I guess you can’t think like that.”

He’ll be back to try and win the event again Friday night in Las Vegas.

“Yeah, I am competing in the fastest skating,” Larkin said. “I haven’t put much thought into it. I’ll be a little nervous.”

Does he have another record-setting performance in him? Larkin admits he isn’t even certain that he has another win in him.

“There’s a lot of really fast players,” Larkin said. “I’ll just hopefully put a smooth run together and whatever happens, happens.”

At sportsbooks, odds are listing Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers as the +150 favorite to win the event. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is at +450 and Larkin (+550) is the third betting choice.

Red Wings Larkin Back In NHL All-Star Game

This will be his first time playing in the NHL All-Star Game since that 2016 midseason classic.

“The whole All-Star weekend is a great honor, a great thing to be a part of,” Larkin said. “Just being around those guys and celebrating our game and our league, it’s a really special time. It should be a lot of fun.”

Larkin leads the Red Wings in goals (23) and points (44). He is the club’s only representative in the NHL All-Star Game.

“Good for him,” Red Wings coach Jef. He’s done a good job coming into the season and done I think an excellent job with his effort and with his approach all season. He’s definitely been I think our engine. We certainly notice it on the nights we haven’t had him.