By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich- According to news sources Detroit Red Wing’s center Dylan Larkin is likely to wear the captians jersey before his new contract is up in five years.
On Tuesday, about a month before the puck drops on the 2018-19 NHL season, Larkin’s leadership role shifted from the ice Little Caesars Arena to the playground and a not so physical yet competitive game of four-square with some fifth grade students at Oaktree Elementary.
“Summer was a little long when we did not make the playoffs,” said Larkin, during an interview at Oaktree. “I had a lot of fun going over and playing in the World Championships.

This year we will be a young team and like last year and the year before we’ll be fun to watch. We have a lot of skilled young players coming in and take a bigger role in the team this year. We’ll have a different look.”
Larkin along with Red Wing teammates forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha visited Oaktree Elementary School to interact with students and make a donation to the Playworks Program. The $3,500 donation will go toward Playworks’ nation-wide initiative to help children stay active during recess through constructive play and exercise.
Ryan Relken, district superintendent said the Playworks initiative is a developmentally appropriate experience for students.
“Unfortunately, some of the initiatives in education have really tried to do something that I feel is unfair and that is to quantify a very complex process which is human development and play is a huge part of that, it’s a huge part of how we learn,” said Relken, donning a black Red Wings jersey. “All the research backs it up and so we are trying to get back to basics here. Social and emotional learning is our goal here. We are focusing on developing the whole child.”
The hour long interaction between the Red Wings on their way to training camp in Traverse City included a variety of playground games.