Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan was sure to address the icy reception that former captain Dylan Larkin received prior to Friday evening's season opener.
It was a turbulent offseason for the Detroit Red Wings, and their regular-season opener didn't go much better.
The sellout crowd at Little Caesars Arena voiced its frustrations throughout Friday's 2-0 shutout loss to the New York Rangers, first targeting former captain Dylan Larkin before turning its attention to team ownership.
Larkin, who was sidelined, was introduced in street clothes alongside the other scratches before the game and greeted with a resounding chorus of boos.
Fans also broke into multiple audible chants calling for the team to be sold, while others voiced their desire for the club to reach a contract agreement with unsigned RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson.
But according to Red Wings coach Todd McLellan, Larkin wanted to be part of the opening ceremonies.
"Dylan, today, being part of the team, wanted to be out there for the ceremony; let's make that clear: that's what our team has done for 101 years now- put the players out there, and Dylan's explanation was, 'I don't want the rest of my teammates, the ones who aren't dressed, to not be out there,'" McLellan said. "So, we went out as a team, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to do it as a team.
At the same time, McLellan made it clear that Larkin has to face the reaction of fans following his controversial trade request.
"Obviously he has to live with the ramifications of asking for a trade," he said. "It's not comfortable for anybody and I feel bad for him, I do."
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Defenseman Moritz Seider, who is a candidate to be named the club's new captain, said that the fans had a right to express themselves as they saw fit in the situation.
"Everyone has a right to express their feelings and we just have to deal with it," Seider said. "We handled it pretty well. Everyone gave it their best shot and that's what we'll continue to do."
What is decidedly a difficult and awkward situation for the Red Wings doesn't appear to have a resolution in sight any time soon.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
