The city of Detroit hasn't hosted a Stanley Cup Playoff game since April 2016 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Joe Louis Arena, who at that time were overseen by general manager Steve Yzerman.
It was a quick five-game series and to date remains the most recent occasion that the Detroit Red Wings have played beyond the 82nd game of the regular season.
That Red Wings team featured a young, Michigan-born rookie named Dylan Larkin who has since become the 37th team captain in franchise history and has been the one to face the media and answer difficult questions during several lean seasons since then.
Larkin is preparing for his 11th season since breaking into the NHL, and there is no player on the Red Wings roster who more badly wants a return to postseason play.
His teammate Andrew Copp flatly stated following practice on Tuesday that Detroit must secure themselves a postseason berth this season. While Larkin stated that all 32 NHL clubs have certain expectations of themselves, it's the time for the Red Wings to not only make the playoffs but to do some damage.
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"I would think all 32 teams in training camp right now have that mentality. If you don't, there's an issue," Larkin said following Wednesday's practice. "I think coming into the state of where we are as a team - like, Lucas Raymond, Mo Seider haven't made the playoffs in their careers and they're way too good of players for that."
"It's time to put ourselves in a position that we've been putting ourselves in the last few years and to just stick and just not be satisfied with that," he said. "We've got to make it and start to make noise in the playoffs."
"We Have To Make The Playoffs": Andrew Copp Has Blunt Expectation For Red Wings in 2025-26 The Detroit Red Wings enjoyed one of the longest postseason streaks in professional sports, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs every season from 1991 through 2016.
Larkin's wish for playoff hockey is the fervent desire of Red Wings fans near and far, especially his caveat of being able to "make noise".
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