dylan larkin is poised to return to the Detroit Red Wings lineup Tuesday when the club hosts the Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena at 7: 00 p. m. ET, a pivotal divisional matchup in a tight Eastern Conference playoff chase. Larkin missed seven games after suffering a lower-body injury on March 6 but told reporters after Tuesday’s morning skate that he has made significant progress and is pushing to play. The league announced he will suit up, leaving the captain’s availability as a game-time decision.
Dylan Larkin’s return status
The league announced that Dylan Larkin will suit up against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, marking his first game since the injury sustained on March 6. Larkin, captain of the Detroit Red Wings, said, “I still have to see how today goes, and I think it’s still a game-time decision, but I feel good and made really good progress. ” He added, “I’m really trying anything I can to get back. ” The 29-year-old has 55 points (28 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games this season, and his return shifts immediate expectations for Detroit’s forward group heading into a matchup where the Senators sit one point behind the Red Wings in the standings.
Injury timeline and team implications
Larkin fell awkwardly after twisting his right leg during Detroit’s 3–1 loss to the Florida Panthers, initially receiving a day-to-day timeline that later became a two-week re-evaluation. Larkin acknowledged the emotional toll of the sidelining, saying, “It was very frustrating. You hear the noise about this time of the year, and to have it happen when it did, it was extremely frustrating, and I was down about it, ” and credited teammates for lifting him up. He also confirmed it was the first time in his playing career he had suffered that kind of injury but said he was fortunate it wasn’t worse: “I got pretty lucky. That’s all I’ll say about the injury. “
Detroit’s results without Larkin were mixed: the club opened a four-game road trip with a 3–0 win over the New Jersey Devils, then lost regulation games to the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team earned an overtime point in a setback against the Dallas Stars, returned home to beat the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens, and then fell to the Boston Bruins. Those outcomes leave Detroit scrambling in a narrow postseason picture: the Red Wings sit one point back of the New York Islanders for the second and final wild-card spot while holding a one-point edge over Ottawa.
What’s next
With the lineup expected to include dylan larkin, Detroit’s staff will monitor his condition through pregame warmups and make a final call at game time. The 7: 00 p. m. ET contest will be an immediate measuring stick for the captain’s readiness and for how Detroit manages an intense, late-season playoff push. Medical updates and in-game availability will drive the next developments; coaches and medical staff will provide confirmations as the night unfolds.
