Larkin provided two clutch assists in Thursday night's 4-2 road win over the Coyotes.

EDGE Analysis

First, the fleet-footed Larkin set up Henrik Zetterberg for the equalizer, then he blew through traffic and orchestrated the primary setup on a Luke Glendening shorthanded tally for the game-winning score. It's been a great start for the Michigan native, as he has one goal and four assists, helping the Wings to a 3-1 record in the early going.

Larkin tallied a power-play goal on three shots Thursday, helping the Wings to a 4-2 home win over the Wild.

EDGE Analysis

The speedster recorded a point (an assist) in the first game of the 2016-17 season, but then went on a five-game drought. In order for Larkin to remain at the center spot and establish consistency, he'll need to win an acceptable amount of faceoffs -- the Michigan native won 50 percent of his draws in this one.

Larkin collected two secondary assists in Saturday's 5-1 preseason drubbing of the Bruins.

EDGE Analysis

It's good to see the fleet-footed forward involving his teammates on these scoring plays; last year, when Larkin had 17 goals but only 15 assists in 80 games, it generally seemed like he wasn't being patient enough in the attacking zone. The Michigan native will be featured at the second-line center spot this season, but that's subject to change if he ends up struggling in the faceoff circles.

Larkin netted an even-strength goal Tuesday in a 4-2 preseason loss to host Boston.

EDGE Analysis

The burner logged a game-high 22:52 of ice time, which is a surprisingly high amount for a forward, especially in a preseason contest that didn't go into overtime -- but exhibition is the most ideal time to experiment, and Larkin could be a mainstay at the center spot if he improves on faceoffs and shows enough patience in the attacking zone to let plays develop. He hoisted an incredibly difficult shot parallel to the goal line to beat Anton Khudobin on Tuesday.

Larkin is expected to center the second line with Justin Abdelkader and Anthony Mantha come Opening Night, MLive.com reports

EDGE Analysis

Last season, Larkin won only 45.4 percent of his draws, and it appeared to be difficult for the speedster to effectively direct the offense down the middle when given the chance. Coach Jeff Blashill was quick to send him back to the wing when the going got tough last year, but it appears the skater is more confident as he's gained more experience. "More than ever I feel like I can really be creative and use my speed, use all my skills to make my linemates better and make our team better," Larkin said Friday, during the commencement of training camp.

Larkin is turning heads for Team USA at the IIHF World Championship, having already crafted seven assists as the team's points leader, The Detroit News reports.

EDGE Analysis

The fleet-footed forward appears to be taking his leadership role as alternate captain seriously, and it's been a nice change of pace for a player who struggled along with the rest of the Red Wings in his sophomore season. With much credit owed to Larkin, the U.S. team finds itself undefeated after three games in the preliminary round of the international tourney.

Larkin, as an alternate captain, will represent Team USA at the World Championship, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Larkin has extensive international experience for a 20-year-old, having appeared in one global tournament or another every year since claiming a bronze medal for the American squad at the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. In his second NHL season, Larkin struggled along with the rest of the Red Wings, experiencing a 12-point slide and going from a team-leading plus-11 rating to a minus-28 mark this year. The Michigan native said he's aware that it takes mental toughness to improve his game, and he can focus on that important element with his leadership role at Worlds.

Larkin potted a shorthanded goal in Monday's 5-4 shootout win over the visiting Senators.

EDGE Analysis

While it took a little puck luck, Larkin's tally was quite impressive. He skated just outside the goal stripe and flipped the disc against goalie Craig Anderson for a sneaky bounce into the cage. While the burner has certainly struggled this year with the minus-28 rating arguably the most disappointing, it's certainly not all his fault. He's been all over the place in terms of his line arrangement and chronic flip-flopping between the center and winger positions. Still, he's immensely talented and will only get better with more experience and his team having better luck with injuries.

Larkin went minus-2, but potted a goal on the man advantage in a 5-4 shootout win over the Coyotes on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

The Michigan native is arguably the hottest he's been all season offensively, producing six points (two goals, four assists) in eight March contests, though he's skated to a minus-7 rating over that span. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill has featured the speedy forward in a myriad of roles with the injury bug decimating the team earlier in the year, including Larkin shuffling back and forth between the wing and center spots. Go ahead and call it a sophomore slump; Larkin may barely cross the 30-point mark barrier by the end of the regular season and his minus-24 rating is an eyesore. However, the struggles seem to be more of a systematic issue than a knock on Larkin's talent level.

Larkin produced a goal and an assist while opposing the Oilers on Saturday, but it wasn't enough as the Red Wings fell on the road, 4-3.

EDGE Analysis

Down 4-2 late in the third frame, Larkin gave the Red Wings a glimmer of hope when we flipped the puck into the cage on a rebound -- but that was all she wrote as Detroit's hockey club took its second loss in as many days. On a positive note, Larin's ice time has risen following Thomas Vanek's move to Florida at the trade deadline Wednesday, averaging 17:29 over the last two games.