‘An incredible experience and something that I’ll remember forever’: Larkin discusses winning Olympic gold with Team USA

DETROIT -- Rejoining the Detroit Red Wings with a gold medal and enough memories to last a lifetime, captain Dylan Larkin held court with the media and reflected on his time with Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 following Wednesday morning’s practice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center.

“An incredible experience and something that I’ll remember forever, the whole Olympic experience,” Larkin said. “Being in the Village, a really close-knit group of guys…It was just really special and so much fun.”

Finishing with three points (two goals, one assist) and a plus-3 rating in six games, Larkin also recorded the best face-off winning percentage (69.6 percent) at the Olympics.

“I think he played really good in the medal rounds,” Andrew Copp said of Larkin. “As the games got bigger, he played his best…He’s a great hockey player and leader. Has bled red, white and blue. Has gone to so many World Championships. He deserves every minute of the attention and success that he’s gotten. Really happy for him and his family.”

Larkin became just the eighth Red Wings skater to win a gold medal at an Olympics featuring NHL players, joining Brendan Shanahan (2002), Steve Yzerman (2002), Tomas Holmström (2006), Niklas Kronwall (2006), Nicklas Lidström (2006), Mikael Samuelsson (2006) and Henrik Zetterberg (2006).

“We all watched those games, and the impact Larks had throughout the Olympics was significant, I believe,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said. “With how the game was being played, on the bench, probably in the Olympic Village – he left his mark there. As our leader and our captain, we now believe that he can come back and do that here. As he comes back, a lot of players gathered around and asked him questions about his experience there.”

McLellan said the first thing he told Larkin on Wednesday was “congratulations, and welcome back.”

“He was excited, a little bit weary,” McLellan said. “Obviously, he’s been through a lot the last little bit. And some of the first words that came out of his mouth was, ‘I want to skate today.’ That was a real good sign. That wasn’t us asking him to skate or anything like that. He wanted to be out there with his teammates, so good start.”

Larkin did his best to describe how he felt once Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal 1:41 into overtime, which gave Team USA a 2-1 victory over Team Canada in Sunday’s gold-medal game.

“Just elation,” the 29-year-old said. “Throwing my equipment, my sticks and gloves in the air like we did in minor hockey dreaming of that moment. Seeing the puck go in and just not even believing it. I still don’t really believe it. What a great moment. So special for [Hughes] to do that and now, the face of USA Hockey. Such a great story with his teeth getting knocked out.”

And since Sunday, Larkin said the outpouring of support has been incredible.

“Being over there and playing in the game, surrounded by our families after…we were still in Europe, so we didn’t really understand the impact fully until we got home," Larkin said. "Just to see the reception that we’ve got from people on the streets and people coming up to us…It was truly unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It just makes you proud, and proud of the group of guys and what we were able to accomplish.”

For Larkin, being part of the group of talented Americans that won their country its first gold medal in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” club did so at the 1980 Lake Placid Games means so much, especially as a product of the United States National Team Development Program.

“Forty-six years, and I think I mentioned it to Kaner and JVR as well, that was for a lot of people,” Larkin said. “That was for ourselves. It was for our country, but it was also for the guys that wore the jersey and didn’t get the job done. The brotherhood of USA Hockey is special, because those guys were cheering us on to do it. They were pulling for us and encouraging us. That means a lot. There’s no jealousy or anything like that. It’s just guys that wanted our country to win, and we were able to do it."

Patrick Kane said he believes no one is more deserving than Larkin to secure a gold medal for the red, white and blue.

“Just the way he played at 4 Nations and the Olympics, obviously really fit into his role really well there,” Kane said. “Played some great hockey. I think that’s probably the guy I’m most happy for with his love and appreciation of USA Hockey. Not only that, but as a Red Wing teammate too, and what he brings to the organization and how much he cares.”

Above all, the Waterford, Mich., native emphasized what he’s taking with him from the Olympics is the powerful theme of family and its importance in his life.

“I do have to give a mention to the Gaudreau family, Meredith and Mr. and Mrs. Gaudreau, Meredith’s brother, and obviously Johnny [Jr.] and Noa,” Larkin said. “That was pretty special. Zach Werenski said, ‘Let’s go grab them and bring them into the picture.’ There’s so many moments over the last 48 hours that are pretty cool, but that one for me was probably No. 1. And of course, No. 2 was seeing my daughter… It was a good thing I had a hold of the medal. She held onto it, then tried to throw it. She’s at that phase in her life right now, but we got a cool picture of her holding it for the first time.”

With the NHL’s Olympic break in the rearview mirror, Larkin and the Red Wings will now get back to the grind. He said having success on as competitive and emotional of a stage as he played on this month serves as a big source of motivation moving forward.

“With where my game is at and where I’m feeling personally, I think I can really be a factor here,” Larkin said. “Much healthier than I was coming back from 4 Nations [last season], but just winning and being able to celebrate that, getting a taste of it…Talking with the guys today, I think it motivated them and it’s motivated me to hopefully win more in my career.”

Detroit, with Larkin leading the way, will kick off the final stretch of its regular-season schedule with an Atlantic Division matchup against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday night, also marking the start of a three-game road trip.

“We got to get right back at it,” Larkin said. “There’s probably no better team to do that against than Ottawa – a divisional opponent. You know how those games kind of go for us when we go into that building especially. They’re intense and physical. I think it’s a great way to get us back going, and two valuable points.”