Dylan Larkin responds after Nick Cousins targets him over lost Red Wings captaincy

Dylan Larkin knew exactly what was waiting for him at Little Caesars Arena, and he didn't try to dodge it.

After a summer that turned plenty of fans against him, the veteran forward is owning the moment and saying he gets why people are upset.

Larkin made his season debut Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators after missing the first two games with an upper-body injury.

The boos landed about two minutes in, on his first shift, and got louder every time he touched the puck.

Things then took a turn when Senators forward Nick Cousins appeared to taunt Larkin after a scrum about losing his captaincy.

Larkin had already heard boos the Friday before, standing on the bench in street clothes during introductions for the home opener.

Then he did the one thing he could control.

Larkin scored in the first period to put Detroit up 2-1, added an assist, and was named the game's first star in a 5-3 win.

It was the Red Wings' first victory of the season.

None of this came out of nowhere.

Larkin's trade request became public in early June, and the team later stripped him of the captaincy.

He had worn the C for the last five of his 11 seasons in Detroit, so the reaction from the stands has been harsh.

He didn't push back on any of it.

His message after the game was simple: he gets the frustration, he isn't hiding from it, and the best answer he has is to keep showing up and playing hard so the team can win.

His long-term future in Detroit is still a big question, and the boos won't vanish overnight.

Still, one strong night proved how quickly the mood can swing when the effort and results are there.

Larkin also stuck up for a teammate during a scrum, and the building noticed.

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