Detroit — The Winter Olympics would have been special, something Dylan Larkin had looked forward to and wanted a chance to participate in for a long time.
But when the NHL and the its players association jointly announced last week the decision not to participate in Beijing in February because of the impact of COVID-19 on the NHL regular-season schedule and logistical issues in China, it wasn't a major shock.
For Larkin, who appeared headed for a prominent role on Team USA, it hurt.
"It would have been an honor to go and represent the U.