Detroit — Dylan Larkin was feeling some contrasting emotions Thursday after the morning skate.
Larkin was thrilled, obviously, with the news of his eight-year contract extension (worth $69.6 million, a cap hit of $8.7 million per year) signed the day before, that’ll keep him as captain of his hometown team for the foreseeable future.
But, on the flip side, the news earlier in the morning of his close friend Tyler Bertuzzi being traded to the Boston Bruins stung.
“It hurts,” said Larkin, choking up and then breaking into tears. “He’s one of my best friends and … it hurts.”
The Wings have traded Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek over the last two days, leading up to Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, gathering more draft picks for the future while decimating this season’s team that is still on the outskirts of playoff contention.
Larkin admitted being somewhat surprised by the sell-off by general manager Steve Yzerman (who’ll speak to the media Friday after the deadline), considering where the Wings are in the standings.
“It’s for the future, and it’s a lot of draft picks, and now the hope is (management) is doing the right thing,” Larkin said. “It’s pretty clear today we’ve traded guys to get draft picks for the future, and we all know that, and it’s something to build a sustainable winner and not one playoff run this year.”
Larkin is adamant these last 22 games this season aren’t going to be mailed in by this group.
“There are 22, 23 guys in that room that have put a lot of work into this year and blocking shots and doing the little things and we don’t want to go out the last 22 games and just throw our sticks and skates out there and play hockey,” Larkin said. “We want to play meaningful hockey.”
Larkin, a Waterford native who starred at Michigan and was drafted in the first round by the Wings, admitted his representatives were getting angry with him for saying there was nowhere he’d rather go than staying with the Wings.
But, it was sincere, and something Larkin is appreciative he’ll get a chance to do for the next eight years.
“It’s really nice to get it done; it’s always been where I wanted to be,” Larkin said. “I really believe the future is bright here and I wanted to be part of it and I’ve always dreamed of my career being here.
“Talking about the future, and the players we have and the contracts that have been signed the last couple of days (Larkin, Jake Walman, Olli Maatta), and we lost two important pieces, two guys that I know were loved by the fanbase, but there’s hope. More guys are coming and I’m excited to be part of it.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan