Dylan Larkin 2-11-17

The Red Wings' Dylan Larkin has just one goal and three assists in the past 18 games.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT - Dylan Larkin's second-half slide as a rookie turned into a sophomore slump.

He's been particularly cold the past six weeks, with one goal and four points in 18 games - just one assist in the past 10 games.

Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill called it a developmental process that began midway through last season.

"The first half of last year he hardly made any mistakes and things really went well for him," Blashill said. "Most of these guys have been afforded the opportunity to go through the learning process in the American League. He's learning it in the NHL."

Larkin has 12 goals and seven assists in 55 games. In his past 83 games, he's put up 17 goals and nine assists with a minus-33 rating. He had 18 goals, 20 assists and a plus-26 rating in his first 52 games.

Blashill said Larkin, one of the fastest skaters in the league, must learn to stop more.

"He's played his whole life where he didn't really stop much, he kind of just kept his feet moving," Blashill said. "Now he's learning how to stop -- stop in D-zone, stop on the puck, stop on players, stop on the defensive side of the puck. Those are habits. They don't change overnight."

Blashill said he's seen huge improvement in those areas the past two weeks.

"It doesn't show up necessarily in chances or points all the time, it shows up in earned trust from the coach and ultimately it'll make him a way better player," Blashill said.

Larkin is only 20. He made the jump to the NHL after just one season at the University of Michigan, without a stop in the AHL, like most players. So, he still has much to lean as a pro.

"Anthony Mantha, when he first came to the American League had to learn how to skate on a consistent basis," Blashill said. "He did it 25 percent of the time. The other 75 percent of games he floated through like he did in junior. Then over time, he's about 75 percent of the time he skates and 25 percent of the time he floats around like he did in junior. I just talked to him today, let's get you to 90. You're never going to be 100, that's just reality."

Larkin said he needs to shoot more. He's recorded just 24 shots in the past 18 games (1.33 per game), after averaging 2.89 shots in his first 37 games.

"To score goals, and to get assists off rebounds, anything like that to create offense, you got to put the puck on net," Larkin said. "I think I've been working on being a playmaker and trying to make my linemates around me better, but I think I've gone away from that shooting mentality I've had since my first NHL game."

He doesn't feel he's being defended more closely.

"Maybe in the beginning of the season," Larkin said. "I guess I haven't given them a reason to this year. I don't think I'm in a position to be a guy they watch."

Larkin said he's focused on "gaining trust, gaining confidence and trying to become a good NHL player that works hard and plays both ends of the ice effectively and eventually can be trusted late in games."

Not playing on Henrik Zetterberg's line, like he did most of his rookie season, has also affected his production.

"How much you play and who you play with are factors in points," Blashill said. "But my job is to make sure he's a better player at the end of the year than he is at the beginning of the year."