The Detroit Red Wings have a lot of faith in Dylan Larkin as a building block for the future and a leader on and off the ice.
They showed in on Friday, signing the 22-year-old forward to a five-year contract with a salary-cap hit of $6.1 million.
He will be an unrestricted free agent when the deal expires in 2023, having accrued eight years of NHL experience. But Larkin is a player this franchise envisions being a lifelong Red Wing. The Waterford native is expected to be the next captain after Henrik Zetterberg officially retires, which likely will be following the 2020-21 season.