Detroit Hockey Now’s Max Smith discusses Andrew Copp’s status as the team’s interim #1 center thanks to his chemistry with Alex DeBrincat, and Smith weighs whether Copp may end up playing as a 2nd or 3rd-line pivot when Detroit’s fully healthy:
The former [Winnipeg Jets] forward is filling in on the top line between Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat while the Red Wings usual top line center and former captain Dylan Larkin sits out with injury. Meanwhile, Copp finds himself in the last year of his contract after he was part of the Red Wings most productive line down the stretch last season.
However, most of Copp’s work doesn’t end up showing up on the stat sheet under his name.
‘He probably didn’t have a great year as far as goals go, offense, five on five, but he produced with the other two [Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane] in different ways.’ Said head coach Todd McLellan.
Now, with the team’s future at center anything but certain, figuring out where Copp lands in the lineup gets hard to predict when, or if Dylan Larkin does return to play for the Red Wings this season.
Continued at length; Copp’s good enough to play as an interim #1 center, but he’s better-suited to 2nd or 3rd-line duty.
