Dylan Larkin Reflects on Olympic Gold, Red Wings’ Playoff Push

MILAN, Italy — Dylan Larkin, captain of the Detroit Red Wings, is still savoring the thrill of Team USA’s 2-1 overtime victory against Canada in the Olympic men’s hockey final this past weekend. The win marks the first gold medal for the U.S. Men’s hockey team since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

Larkin described the euphoria of Jack Hughes’ game-winning goal, stating, “Just to maintain thinking back that we did it… And that feeling of when Jack scored, throwing our gloves in the air, not knowing what to do, just screaming, yelling for 20 minutes on the ice, celebrating with guys – it was memories I’ll remember forever.”

A Tournament Forged in Intensity

The gold medal game was a high-pressure situation, according to Larkin. He highlighted the exceptional performance of U.S. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who he credited with “stealing the game,” and Charlie McAvoy’s crucial defensive play that prevented a potential game-tying goal.

The post-game celebration included a party in Miami and a visit to the White House, underscoring the magnitude of the achievement. Larkin played a key role throughout the tournament, centering the third line, playing on the penalty kill, and scoring the opening goal in both the quarterfinal win against Sweden and the semifinal victory over Slovakia. This performance built on his breakout showing at last year’s 4 Nations tournament.

Rivalry Renewed

The matchup against Canada carried significant weight, having previously defeated the U.S. In the 2010 and 2002 Olympic gold medal games. Larkin admitted to being unable to sleep the night before the game, consumed by thoughts of victory. “I was up thinking about, ‘if we win, if we win,’ you know, ‘I hope we win,’ and I think before I went to bed, I was finally (like) ‘let’s just win this,’” he said.

He described the 20-minute intermission before 3-on-3 overtime as the most stressful moment of his career. He also noted the role of the Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, in keeping the team’s spirits high.

Celebration and Reflection

Hughes’ goal secured the victory, leading to a wild celebration that extended to a party in Miami and a visit to the White House, where Team USA stayed for the State of the Union address.

However, the celebration was followed by criticism regarding the presence of FBI director Kash Patel in the locker room, seen on social media videos celebrating with the team and facilitating a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump. Larkin expressed regret over how this incident overshadowed the accomplishments of both the men’s and women’s teams.

“I think it’s a little bit unfortunate how it’s taken the shine away from, one, the greatness of the women’s team, and what we did — first (U.S. Men’s) team to win it in 46 years,” Larkin said. He praised USA women’s goalie Aerin Frankel, calling her “dominant” after she finished the Olympics with a .980 save percentage.

Return to Detroit

Back with the Red Wings, Larkin said the reception from fans has been “great.” The team hopes Larkin’s Olympic experience will translate to success as they push for a playoff berth, currently holding a wild-card position in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit faces the Ottawa Senators, led by Larkin’s Team USA teammate Brady Tkachuk, on Thursday night. Larkin acknowledged the friendly rivalry, stating, “I had such a joy playing with him and his brother (Matthew)… those two guys are just characters, and I’ll be smiling at him, but (these are) two massive points for both of our teams.”