Dylan Larkin Stuns the Sports World as TIME Names Him One of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports—From Rising NHL Phenom to Global Icon, a Journey That Leaves Fans Everywhere Wondering What Comes Next

In the glittering arena of professional sports, where raw talent collides with unyielding determination, few stories capture the imagination quite like that of Dylan Larkin. When TIME magazine unveiled its 2025 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World earlier this year, the inclusion of the Detroit Red Wings captain sent ripples through the hockey community and beyond. Nestled among global titans, cultural pioneers, and political heavyweights, Larkin’s name stood out not just for his on-ice prowess, but for the quiet revolution he has sparked in a league often hungry for fresh icons. At 29, the Waterford, Michigan native has transformed from a teenage sensation skating into the NHL spotlight to a figure whose influence extends far beyond the rink, touching youth programs, community initiatives, and the very fabric of American hockey. As fans pore over highlight reels and speculate on his next chapter, one can’t help but ponder the invisible threads that wove this unassuming kid into a global force.

Larkin’s ascent began in the frost-kissed suburbs of metro Detroit, where the crack of a puck against a backyard net echoed like a promise. Born on July 30, 1995, he laced up his first pair of skates almost before he could walk, under the watchful eye of his uncle Paul, who coached him with the Lakeland Hawks. Those early days with local programs like Honeybaked and Detroit Belle Tire AAA weren’t about glory; they were about grit. Larkin spent endless hours perfecting his shot, his speed a blur even then, drawing comparisons to the legends who had once donned the Winged Wheel. By age 16, he joined USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, a proving ground that sharpened his edges. In 55 games during the 2012-13 season, he notched 13 goals and 14 assists, helping the U.S. claim gold at the Four Nations Tournament. It was here, amid the pressure of international play, that the seeds of his leadership took root.

College hockey at the University of Michigan elevated Larkin from prospect to phenom. As a freshman in 2014-15, he exploded onto the scene, leading all Big Ten rookies with 47 points (15 goals, 32 assists) and earning Freshman of the Year honors, a spot on the All-Freshman Team, All-Big Ten First Team, and Second Team All-American. His five-point night against Ohio State—a dizzying display of two goals and three assists in a 10-6 rout—remains the stuff of Maize and Blue legend, the first such performance by a Wolverine freshman since 1997. Scouts whispered about his skating, often clocked at blistering speeds that evoked memories of Pavel Bure. Yet it was his hockey IQ, the way he anticipated plays like a chess master on ice, that truly set him apart. Forgoing three years of eligibility, Larkin signed a three-year entry-level deal with Detroit in April 2015, dipping his toe into the pro waters with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. In just six playoff games, he tallied three goals and five points, a teaser of the storm to come.

The NHL debut arrived like a thunderclap on October 9, 2015, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. At 19, Larkin became the youngest Red Wing to open the season since Mike Sillinger in 1990-91. Twenty seconds into the second period, he rifled home his first career goal past Jonathan Bernier, channeling the spirit of Steve Yzerman, who had last scored as a teenage Wing in 1983. The Hockeytown faithful erupted; this was no ordinary rookie. By season’s end, Larkin led all Detroit freshmen with 23 goals, tying for third among league rookies, while adding 22 assists for 45 points. He finished sixth in Calder Trophy voting, earned NHL Rookie of the Month for November after seven goals in 13 games, and became the first teenager since Yzerman to score in four straight contests. Off the ice, his selection to the 2016 All-Star Game—the seventh Red Wings rookie ever, but only the third chosen to play—cemented his arrival. “I remember thinking, ‘This is it,'” Larkin later reflected in a 2021 interview with The Athletic. “Skating out there with the best, it wasn’t intimidating—it was fuel. I wanted to prove I belonged, not just for me, but for every kid back home dreaming the same dream.”

Those early flashes of brilliance evolved into sustained excellence, but Larkin’s true metamorphosis came through adversity and adaptation. The 2016-17 season tested him, a sophomore slump that saw his production dip amid injuries and the grind of 82 games. Under coach Jeff Blashill, Larkin shifted from wing to center, a pivotal change honed during the 2017 World Championship where he posted two goals and 10 points for Team USA. “That tournament changed everything,” Blashill recalled in a post-season debrief. “Dylan logged huge minutes, killed penalties like a veteran. He came back to Detroit with a fire we’d never seen.” The adjustment paid dividends; by 2018-19, Larkin was a point-per-game player, blending elite speed—still the fastest in All-Star Skills history—with defensive reliability. His penalty-killing prowess and faceoff wins turned him into the Red Wings’ engine, even as the team navigated a rebuild.

Leadership arrived not with fanfare, but inevitability. On January 13, 2021, at 24, Larkin was named the 37th captain in franchise history, the first Michigan-born player to wear the “C.” As the longest-tenured Wing, the only survivor from the 2015-16 playoff squad, he embodied resilience. “To lead people, you have to have their respect,” Blashill said at the announcement. “Dylan has it—from every player, coach, and staffer. He’s earned it through actions, not words.” Under his watch, Detroit clawed toward contention, missing the playoffs by a whisker in 2023-24 after a career-high 33 goals and 69 points in 68 games. His nomination for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy that year highlighted his off-ice impact: founding the Dylan Larkin Foundation in 2019, which has raised over $500,000 for Detroit-area youth hockey, providing equipment and scholarships to underprivileged kids. “Hockey gave me everything,” Larkin told NHL.com in 2024. “Now, it’s about giving back—making sure the next generation doesn’t face barriers I never did.”

TIME’s recognition in April 2025 catapulted Larkin into rarified air, one of just six athletes on the list alongside trailblazers in women’s basketball and track. The magazine praised his “relentless engine” on the ice and his role in revitalizing Hockeytown, noting how his foundation has inspired a 20% uptick in local youth registrations. Reactions poured in like a sudden spring thaw. Teammate Lucas Raymond, the young Swedish sniper, called it “no surprise at all. Dylan’s the heartbeat here—he pushes us daily, on and off the ice.” Coach Derek Lalonde, who likened Larkin to stars like Nathan MacKinnon, added, “He’s our best player, our 1C, a true star. This honor? It’s what he deserves for carrying this franchise through the dark days.” Fans flooded social media, with #LarkinTIME trending worldwide, sharing stories of how his speed and smile hooked a new generation on the sport. Even rivals nodded approval; Toronto’s Auston Matthews texted congratulations, later joking in a post-game scrum, “Fastest guy I know—on skates and in building a legacy.”

What elevates Larkin beyond the stat sheet is his subtle magnetism, the way he bridges hockey’s old guard with its future. In a league diversifying its reach, his all-American roots and global outreach—speaking at USA Hockey summits, partnering with NHL initiatives for mental health—position him as a unifier. His 2024-25 season, with 29 goals and 65 points through 80 games despite a mid-season upper-body tweak, underscored his durability. As Detroit eyes a deeper playoff run in 2025-26, bolstered by talents like Alex DeBrincat and Moritz Seider, Larkin’s voice resonates louder. “We’re closer than ever,” he said post-season last year. “I asked for meaningful April games—we got them. Now, it’s about championships. No vacations, just hunger.”

Yet amid the accolades, a whisper of intrigue lingers: what horizon beckons next for this quiet icon? Whispers of Olympic gold in 2026, perhaps, or expanding his foundation into international waters. Could we see Larkin in broadcasting, sharing his wisdom like Yzerman before him, or even league office, shaping hockey’s next era? Fans worldwide, from Little Caesars Arena to remote rinks in Europe, lean forward in anticipation. Larkin’s journey reminds us that true influence isn’t measured in trophies alone, but in the lives ignited along the way. In a sports world forever chasing the next big thing, Dylan Larkin isn’t just arriving—he’s redefining the destination. As he patrols center ice this fall, one thing remains certain: whatever comes next, it will be worth the wait.