The 22-year-old is now the highest-paid Red Wing, slightly ahead of captain Henrik Zetterberg's $6.08 million cap hit.
Larkin appeared in all 82 games for Detroit last season, leading the team in scoring with 63 points. The Michigan native began his NHL career as a winger three seasons ago, but later moved to center. He's expected to be the Red Wings' top center for the 2018-19 campaign.
"Dylan brings a lot of determination, a lot of passion, and he loves the game of hockey," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said in a statement. "He's becoming a young player that has those leadership qualities in him. He earns respect because he plays hard and loves the game."
Detroit selected Larkin with the 15th pick in the 2014 draft.
There's a changing of the guard in the NHL. Some former have-nots, like the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs, are becoming haves.
The rise of new contenders has dramatically altered both the NHL and fantasy hockey landscapes. With that in mind, let's recalibrate our outlook on the league's players and teams heading into the 2018-19 draft season.
Here are five NHL teams to target in fantasy:
Note: We considered only standard-league categories (goals, assists, plus/minus, power-play points, penalty minutes, shots on goal) for this exercise.
The Jets have both the firepower and depth to make fantasy owners drool. Patrik Laine, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Dustin Byfuglien are surefire premier producers. And Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Mathieu Perreault, Jack Roslovic, Bryan Little, Jacob Trouba, and Tyler Myers range from borderline must-acquires to admirable roster fillers. Most notably flying under the radar in Manitoba are Ehlers, a 30-goal threat, and Connor, who quietly recorded 57 rookie points during the 2017-18 season. Really, any forward owning a spot on the Jets' top three lines is worth consideration. In goal, Connor Hellebuyck is a safe bet for 35-plus wins and, at minimum, a league-average save percentage. When in doubt, pick up a Jet.
The Leafs’ fantasy value is best explained by tiers. The first features John Tavares and Auston Matthews, elite centers who will be top-15 picks in most drafts. Next is the top-50 tier, which includes goalie Frederik Andersen and potential 80-point winger Mitch Marner. As for the third tier, there are strong arguments to be made for William Nylander, Patrick Marleau, Nazem Kadri, Jake Gardiner, and Morgan Rielly as top-150 fantasy players. Nylander, in particular, can usually be counted on for at least 20 goals, 40 assists, and 185 shots. Rounding out Toronto’s embarrassment of riches are wingers Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, Zach Hyman, and Connor Brown, whose fantasy stocks are linked to minutes played alongside Matthews, Tavares, and/or Kadri.
From a competitive standpoint, the Lightning are probably the NHL’s best team. In fantasy land, they’re also not far off thanks to a top-three performer in Nikita Kucherov, top-10 stud Steven Stamkos, and several secondary options. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a lock to rank high in goalie categories, while defensemen Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev, as well as forwards Brayden Point, J.T. Miller, and Yanni Gourde, provide solid value, too. Don't treat Gourde, 26, as a typical sophomore, since he's firmly in the prime of his career and could eclipse 70 points. Tampa, a team that hasn't altered its roster this summer, led the NHL in goal differential in 2017-18, so expect excellent plus-minus ratings from all of the above.
Dreaded Stanley Cup hangover aside, a squad headlined by reigning goal-scoring champ Alex Ovechkin, burgeoning star center Evgeny Kuznetsov, and power-play quarterback John Carlson deserves your fantasy attention. Braden Holtby, who should be motivated following an off year between the pipes, is the fourth key piece on the Capitals. Then there’s veteran playmaker Nicklas Backstrom, perennial 50-point winger T.J. Oshie, breakout candidate Jakub Vrana, and penalty-loving Tom Wilson. Washington offers a ton of fantasy versatility. Oh, and don't sleep on 23-year-old Andre Burakovsky.
The Bruins sneak up on you. Their No. 1 line includes Brad Marchand, who produces in all categories, 35-goal scorer David Pastrnak, and the ever-reliable Patrice Bergeron. Goalie Tuukka Rask is still effective, Jake DeBrusk should explode in 2018-19, a healthy David Krejci tends to hover around 50 points, and sophomores Danton Heinen and Ryan Donato are smart late-round sleeper picks. Plus, the blue line features likely future Norris Trophy contender Charlie McAvoy and Torey Krug's booming shot. Boston's roster has a high ceiling, though past that first line you’re betting on best-case scenarios.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed by the team, but Craig Morgan of AZ Sports reports the pact is worth $4.45 million annually, citing a source.
"Christian is a highly skilled, reliable, two-way center who continues to improve each season," general manager John Chayka said. "He will be a key player for us in the future and we are thrilled to have him for the next seven seasons."
The 22-year-old suited up in 78 games for the Coyotes last season, recording 15 goals and 22 assists. Dvorak was drafted 58th overall by the club in 2014, and has one more season on his entry-level contract.
While the Ottawa Senators and Mark Stone may have only come to terms on a one-year contract this offseason, the star forward is confident both sides will be able to reach a long-term agreement in the future.
Stone inked a one-year, $7.35-million contract just hours before his scheduled arbitration meeting with the club. Luckily, both sides avoided the unpleasantness of arbitration and remain on good terms, leaving Stone believing a long-term deal down the road is possible.
"I was really happy with the way everything panned out," Stone said, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. "I don’t think either side really wanted to take it to arbitration. We're really happy with the number and both sides are really happy to have the opportunity to try and work something out long-term."
Stone can sign an extension anytime after Jan. 1, 2019. He is coming off his most productive season in terms of points per game, as the 26-year-old tallied 62 points in 2017-18 (tied for the team lead) despite being limited to just 58 games due to injury.
Having managed no fewer than 20 goals and 54 points in his first four full seasons in the league, Stone will likely cash in once his next round of contract talks pick up.
A dazzling first season with the Vegas Golden Knights saw head coach Gerard Gallant capture the Jack Adams Award as the 2017-18 NHL coach of the year.
Now, his hometown of Summerside, Prince Edward Island has an even more impressive way to celebrate the coach's accomplishment.
On Wednesday, city councillor Gordie Whitlock proposed commissioning a statue that would pay tribute to the hometown hero, saying many residents want to commemorate the coach locally.
Another suggestion is to rename the street Gallant grew up on, changing it to Turk Street. The Vegas Golden Knights coach has long gone by the nickname "Turk."
While Gallant has been coaching in the pros for two decades, he spent three seasons as the bench boss of the Maritime Hockey League's Summerside Western Capitals before making the jump to the IHL in 1998.
Gallant was born in Summerside in 1963. He's among a handful of NHL alumni hailing from the city of less than 15,000, a list that includes Dave Cameron, Doug MacLean, and Steve Ott.
