Larkin Game-Time Decision For Red Wings

“Dylan is going to be a post morning skate eval,” Lalonde said. “He’s got some testing to do on how he responded to yesterday’s practice and the skate. So we won’t know probably until this afternoon, but the positive is he’s very close.

“I don’t know if it’ll be tonight but he’s getting really close.”

Red Wings Missing Their Captain

Larkin was hurt late in a 4-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on March 2. That game was Detroit’s second loss in a row. The Red Wings would go on to lose another four in a row without their captain. But they’ve won two of the past three games and currently are clinging to the second Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot. Detroit is one point ahead of the Washington Capitals and three points clear of the Islanders.

Detroit will definitely be without defenseman Jake Walman (lower-body injury). That means rookie Simon Edvinsson will be playing his second consecutive game on the Red Wings defense.

Lalonde believes that being thrust into a key role during an NHL playoff race is only going to cause a growth spurt in Edvinsson’s development as a player.

“There’s more to it, there’s more intensity to it, there’s more pressure to it,” Lalonde said. “Obviously with Walman out he’s in a top-four role. This is a positive.

“He performed very well the other day. Now we’ll look for some consistency in that performance.”

James Reimer will be making his second straight start in goal. Reimer is 5-1 over his last six decisions. He’s 8-3-2 with a .914 save percentage and 2.81 goals-against average in 16 career appearances facing the Islanders.