Colorado Avalanche provides a blueprint for Detroit Red Wings leadership group
The Colorado Avalanche had their worst campaign in franchise history during the 2016-17 season, in which they accumulated just 48 points. Gabriel Landeskog was the captain then and is still the captain today. And the reason for that is his indelible leadership and remarkable ability to get the best out of every guy he works with.
Why did so many players from that team want to stick around? Ask players like Nathan MacKinnon, Erik Johnson, Mikko Rantanen, and Tyson Barrie, and they’ll tell you Landeskog inspired them to hang tough. The best times are yet to come. Let’s stick together. Of course, the salary cap forced many changes, but you get the point. Some of the core guys stuck together, resulting in a Stanley Cup championship.If Larkin is that unhappy, be free
But as we previously stated, being stuck in such a rough environment has taken a toll on Larkin. On the same token, if he felt this way before, why sign an eight-year extension in March 2023? Perhaps he believed in the mission then. Maybe he still believes in the long-term goals of this Red Wings organization, but one thing is clear: he’s not confident that management can get them out of this situation.
However, as a captain, the least Larkin can do is push his hardest and motivate those around him. If your captain is acting dolorous, what will the rest of the team do? They’re going to follow suit.Dylan Larkin should have set a better example for his team.
And for the record, it’s completely understandable why Larkin called out Steve Yzerman at the end-of-season press conference. No one should be upset about what Larkin did, but was there a better way to underline it?While no one can blame him for his feelings, Dylan Larkin could have employed a better approach. Here’s who he should take pointers from.
