The Dylan Larkin importance to the Detroit team is such that when he’s not on top of his game the Red Wings are not on top of theirs. “I can’t beat around the bush — he was missing,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said after the Columbus Blue Jackets downed Detroit 5-2 in the first game of their ultra-important home-and-home series.

Larkin had no points and no shots in 18:26 Tuesday in a 3-2 victory in Minnesota. He’s played a lot of hockey – five games in eight nights including the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game – and three of those games went to overtime. But McLellan said that’s not an excuse.

Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan showed he's willing to do the hard things to spur his team to the NHL playoffs by calling out Dylan Larkin.

Two consecutive losses, including Saturday's 5-3 defeat, enabled the Blue Jackets to leapfrog the Wings into the first wild-card position.

Todd McLellan said Dylan Larkin 'was missing' from the Detroit Red Wings' 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.