I’ve been back from the Traverse City Flu/return bug for all of a couple hours now, and I’m already sick of posting these lists again. Please let me know whether they matter to you…
Because The Athletic’s Harman Dayal ranked “Every NHL Team’s top-6 center duos,” and you should not be surprised that the Red Wings rank “below average”:
Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp
Contracts: Larkin $8.7 million AAV, eight years left; Copp $5.625 million AAV, four years left
Larkin has hovered just shy of the point-per-game mark the last two years. This could be the year he breaks through now that he’s got a linemate of Alex DeBrincat’s caliber. Larkin profiles like an average No. 1 center, but whether it’s Copp or J.T. Compher, the Red Wings are below-average in the second-line center position.
Copp has bounce-back potential as he was returning from abdominal surgery last season, but he was underwhelming, as his usual sturdy defensive numbers fell off a cliff while scoring a modest 42 points.
Long term, Detroit will be leaning on Marco Kasper and/or Nate Danielson to round out the top-six center group.
Continued; etc. etc. etc.
