Dylan Larkin seems set for his return. Whether it will be a welcome one is another question entirely.
The Detroit Red Wings forward "looks likely" to make his season debut on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators, head coach Todd McLellan said after morning skate.
The former Red Wings captain still has one more hurdle to clear before getting the go-ahead to compete, McLellan said. Larkin missed the team's first two games due to an upper-body injury.
He was introduced from the press box during Detroit's season opener and was roundly booed by fans in response to his off-season trade request, which still stands. Larkin's captaincy was also stripped as a result.
The Red Wings went 0-2 in Larkin's absence, with losses to the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets.
Larkin, of Waterford, Mich., put up his fifth straight 30-goal season last year, scoring 34 times along with 33 assists in 74 games as the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings are dealing with multiple injury woes throughout the rest of their roster.
Forwards Marco Kasper (upper body) and Mason Appleton (upper body) are out week-to-week, while J.T. Compher is day-to-day, per McLellan.
The exact nature of the injuries are unclear.
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