Larkin spearheads USA Hockey tribute game for Jim Johansson

PLYMOUTH, MI – When Dylan Larkin was still a relative unknown in the hockey world, USA Hockey’s beloved Jim ‘J.J.’ Johannson was there for him and his family.

And now it’s Larkin’s time to repay the favor to Johansson, who died unexpectedly Jan. 21 at age 53. The Detroit Red Wings star forward showed he is speedy off the ice as well as on — quickly spearheading a charity hockey game that will take place 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.

“It was really Dylan Larkin at the men’s world championship this year who brought it up and said we should have a game to pay tribute to J.J. and raise money for a couple funds,” said Dave Fischer, USA Hockey’s senior director of communications. “He said ‘I’ll rally the guys and get the players,’ and in early July he started going the path of trying to get guys and then he said ‘We can get enough guys, let’s do it.’”