Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin received a Department of Player Safety hearing for a hit against Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph.
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin will have a hearing today for Roughing Tampa Bay’s Mathieu Joseph.
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) October 15, 2021
Dylan Larkin Receives Department of Player Safety Hearing
Larkin’s retaliatory hit came after Joseph accelerated into Larkin’s back knocking him into the boards with all his might. Larkin spent the latter half of the 2020-21 season recovering from a neck injury caused by Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn. This type of hit – and the NHL’s failure to issue any sort of penalty to Benn in the past – sent Larkin into a fury. Responding immediately, Larkin took a swing at Joseph, connecting with the forward’s shoulder. This move resulted in a quick brawl, giving Larkin a game misconduct and Joseph two minor penalties.
These two separate hits from behind on Larkin & Rasmussen received a COMBINED total of 2 (TWO) penalty minutes, for cross-checking.
Don’t be surprised when Red Wings fans say Larkin’s punch was worth it, suspension looming and all. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/cedJ6TEd0X
— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) October 15, 2021
Much to the chagrin of Red Wings fans, as of right now, Joseph has not received any DoPS calls. It remains to be seen the extent of Larkin’s punishment, but it appears it’ll be a fine or short-game suspension.
What This Means for the Team
The Red Wings suffered a heartbreaking 6-7 OT loss last game. Still, this hit – and the resulting chaos surrounding it – has set the tone for the rest of the season. The Red Wings will use this as a rallying point throughout the season to fight to the end against even the toughest of teams.
The NHL has openly said they’ll crack down on cross-checking this season. Ideally, this game will be seen as a learning experience for the officiating staff. Multiple calls – including a very questionable Ondrej Palat hit – were either underplayed or swept under the rug.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
