"It's a dream": Dylan Larkin shares why Olympics feel personal as Team USA seeks redemption for heart-wrenching loss to Canada

Dylan Larkin has been waiting several years for this moment, and he is not taking one second of it for granted. The Detroit Red Wings’ new team Captain will make his Olympic debut as Team USA takes the ice against Latvia on Feb. 12 in its opener in Milan, calling the 2026 Winter Olympic Games “a dream” and “truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Dylan Larkin, who landed in Italy days before puck drop to compete for the US on Olympic ice, said, “You have to be able to manage the ups and downs; that's strength as a person and as a hockey player. It's a dream, you know, and a moment where you have to take a step back and really realize that one of your lifelong dreams is coming true. I'm really looking forward to getting there, to soak it in.”

“Probably my biggest career loss": Dylan Larkin uses overtime loss to Canada as fuel for Team USA gold push

Dylan Larkin looks at his own Team USA for motivation. Their 3-2 overtime loss to Canada in the championship game of the Four Nations Tournament just last year still seems to sting. For Larkin, it felt like much more than just a loss. “I didn't expect that to sting as much as it did, and I'm not saying that I didn't think it was going to be big, but it really felt like we lost a Stanley Cup final game or a gold medal in the Olympics,” Larkin shared. “It was probably the biggest loss I've gone through in my career. I've thought about the Olympics every day, probably since then. I'm excited, and I do think our group is so tight-knit and special, and we had such good chemistry at the Four Nations that I just believe that there's better for our group, and I just don't see our group not being successful.”
That heartbreak now fuels belief.
The competition will feature high-quality players from the National Hockey League, including Zach Werenski, a former teammate of Larkin’s at the University of Michigan, and superstars Jack and Quinn Hughes. In addition to the competition itself, Larkin is looking forward to the atmosphere of the Olympic Village and cheering on other American athletes, such as the U.S. women’s hockey team.
A native Michigander who has spent his entire playing career in the state, Larkin is as loyal to his home state as ever. For the moment, his sights are set single-mindedly on winning a medal and turning the pain of last year into a medal won by Team USA.


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