Larson broke into the NHL via the Detroit Red Wings where he was a runner-up for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. The acknowledgement was no fluke. In the ensuing years he recorded five 20-goal seasons and eight 60-point campaigns. He was the first American-born player and the sixth defenseman to score 200 career goals.

After ten seasons as a fixture on the Red Wings blueline, Larson became more nomadic, joining the Bruins for two and a half seasons before rounding out his NHL days with the Oilers, Islanders, North Stars and Sabres.

Larson then headed overseas to play and coach in Italy for four years. Afterwards, he returned to Minnesota to play nine games for the Moose of the IHL before hanging up his skates for good. The finishing touch to his career came with his election to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.

Courtesy of the Hockey Hall of Fame