DETROIT -- We know how the Detroit Red Wings operate. We know that the young players have to wait their turn, that the tie in every roster battle is going to go to the veteran.

Then you see a performance like the one turned in by Dylan Larkin on Thursday night -- his first two goals scored in Joe Louis Arena as a pro -- and it becomes natural to wonder if he’s different. Factor in how well Larkin is thought of by scouts and executives around the league, and it’s a fair question whether he’s the Red Wings prospect who forces the hand of the organization and grabs an NHL spot as a teenager.