GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 22: (L-R) Tomas Holmstrom #96, Niklas Kronwall #55, Henrik Zetterberg #40, Chris Osgood #30, Nicklas Lidstrom #5 and Pavel Datsyuk #13 of the Detroit Red Wings stand attended for the National Anthem during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on October 22, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Red Wings 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Red Wings center must provide more offense to justify salary
The Detroit Red Wings need more from Andrew Copp.
Copp,na a 29-year-old center who can also play the the wing, is an important part of the team as a third-line center, energy player and pelty killer. In fact, when the line of Copp centering Michael Rasmussen and Christian Fischer was together during the 2023-24 season, the unit was the team’s most effective and consistent line.
But $28.125 million over five years is a lot to pay for that.
That’s the free-agent deal that Copp signed with the Red Wings during the summer of 2022.
At the time, Copp – who hails from Ann Arbor, grew up playing youth hockey in suburban Detroit and suited up as a collegiate athlete for the University of Michigan – seemed to be evolving from a third-line checking center into an all-around pivot who would contribute more offensively as he developed.
He had amassed 53 points (18 goals and 35 assists) in 72 games with the Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers during the 2021-22 season after posting 39 points in 55 games with Winnipeg the previous campaign.
With Detroit looking for a No. 2 center to slot in behind Dylan Larkin, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman signed Copp to a free-agent contract that averages $5.625 million annually.
But Copp only managed nine goals and 33 assists for 42 points in 2022 and just 33 points (13 goals and 20 assists) this past season. To be fair, the center missed training camp during his first season in Detroit while recovering from abdominal surgery.
Still, Copp’s production does not justify his salary.
And even after signing another former Michigan player in center J.T. Compher last summer, the Red Wings are still looking for a legitimate No. 2 option to compliment Larkin.
Copp simply needs more offensive production to live up to his salary.
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