Caleb Bollenbacher

Dylan Larkin is not a quitter and again he’s a human being that deserves respect. There comes a point in professional sports when we need to remember that underneath the jersey, underneath the expectations, and underneath the pressure is a human being with feelings, emotions, a family, and a life beyond hockey. Today, we want to stand up for Dylan Larkin. For over a decade, Dylan Larkin gave everything he had to the Detroit Red Wings. He represented his hometown organization with pride, carried the responsibility of wearing the captain’s “C,” and continued showing up through some incredibly difficult seasons. Now, because of his decision to seek a new chapter in his career, some fans and members of the media are questioning his loyalty, his leadership, and even his character. We strongly disagree with those personal attacks. You can disagree with Dylan’s decision to stop playing while awaiting a trade. You can be disappointed with how things have unfolded. Those feelings are understandable. But calling someone a quitter and questioning the person they are because of a hockey decision crosses a line. Nobody outside Dylan’s closest circle truly knows everything he’s experienced emotionally throughout this situation. This is a young man who grew up dreaming of wearing the Detroit Red Wings jersey. He didn’t just play for the organization. He lived that dream. And while this chapter may not end the way anyone imagined, it should never erase the years of dedication, sacrifice, leadership, and commitment he gave to Detroit. Dylan Larkin doesn’t need thousands of people tearing him down right now. He needs people who recognize his humanity. To Dylan, we hope you understand that there are hockey fans across North America who still believe in you, respect you, and appreciate everything you’ve accomplished. Your value as a person will never be determined by a hockey game, a trade request, or the opinions of people on social media. And to every young hockey player watching this situation unfold, remember something important: You can disagree with someone’s decisions without destroying their character. You can be disappointed in an athlete without forgetting they’re a human being. Dylan Larkin has given so much to the game of hockey, and we believe he still has so much more to give. Wherever his journey takes him next, we hope he finds happiness, peace, and the opportunity to fall in love with the game all over again. Sometimes the strongest thing we can do for someone isn’t to judge the chapter they’re closing, but to support the person who has to find the courage to begin another. We’ve yet to hear from Dylan Larkin on what is going on and until we hear his story we should all be careful on what we say about this situation. Dylan has earned that respect from us hockey fans. From all of us at the 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast, we’re wishing Dylan Larkin and his family nothing but the very best. #NHL #DylanLarkin #LGRW