The Detroit Red Wings did not perform well in their season opener on Thursday night. John Gibson was pulled from his team debut after allowing five goals on 13 shots. It's a disappointing debut after a big trade from the Anaheim Ducks this offseason. It wasn't all on Gibson, but his performance did play a part in a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Dylan Larkin opened the scoring for the Red Wings in the first period. After that, the Habs had complete control despite managing only 17 shots on goal. It was a night meant to celebrate the past, present, and future of the team. Unfortunately, they laid an absolute stinker in their opening contest.
After the game, Larkin spoke with the media. And it was clear the Detroit captain was frustrated with his team's performance. He did not mince words when discussing how everyone performed in this loss to the Canadiens.
“I would be lying if you looked at anyone on the ice for us tonight that really stood out and played well. No one really played well,” Larkin said in a video posted to the Red Wings' official YouTube channel.
Red Wings' Dylan Larkin not panicking despite Canadiens loss
Detroit fans are accustomed to these sorts of poor performances, unfortunately. In fact, the Winged Wheel began last season with a brutal 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at home. For whatever reason, the Red Wings have started off slowly the last few seasons.
Perhaps this is part of the reason Larkin isn't panicking. The Red Wings captain has been through the highs and lows this franchise has experienced as he enters his 11th season with the team. He certainly wants to win with his hometown club. But after one game, he's not getting all doom and gloom on the 2025-26 season.
“I'm not panicking. I think Todd (McLellan) is going to come in here, and if he's harder, I can see it… I think it's fixable. We're gonna have skate tomorrow, we're gonna go over the video. We have to fix it quick,” Larkin said.
The Red Wings hope to make the playoffs in 2025-26. However, they need better performances if they want to achieve that goal. Detroit returns to the ice on Saturday for a matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
