According to the Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker, Red Wings forward Andrew Copp still feels that he Wings should make the playoffs this season at a very minimum, regardless of distractions in terms of tumult surrounding the front office and disgruntled forward Dylan Larkin:
“We can’t accept anything less,” Copp said of making the playoffs. “I don’t think there’s any other way to look at it – what more growth can we do without making the playoffs? We’ve done all that the last three or four years since I’ve been here,” he continued. “So there’s only really one way to go.”
As far as his own contract status goes, he said that there are more pressing matters that have his attention at the moment.
“I have enough to concentrate on my game this year, that’s kind of where my mind’s at right now,” he said.
Head coach Todd McLellan, who said that the top center spot belongs to Copp for now in Larkin’s absence, praised the former Wolverine’s mindset.
“Copper is a very cerebral player, a very deep thinker about the game,” McLellan said. “(He’ll) be a coach one day, if he wants to be,” McLellan continued. “He’s got that type of mindset. He probably didn’t have a great year as far as goals go, offense, and five-on-five, but he produced with the other two (power-play and shorthanded) in other ways. A lot of helpers, a lot of net-front stuff.”
