Copp Showing Value for Red Wings at Even Strength

For a lot of Red Wings fans, Andrew Copp has become the embodiment of the frustrations with Steve Yzerman's tenure as Detroit's general manager.  Yzerman elected to spend liberally in free agency to try to pave the Red Wings' path out of their rebuild.  That meant paying premium July 1 prices to acquire a class of player whose free agent status suggests they are something less than a superstar.  One such player was Copp, signed to a five year deal worth $5.625 million annually in July 2022.

Today, as the Red Wings prepare to take on the Jets, Copp's former team, in Winnipeg, it seemed an appropriate moment to discuss Copp's fit in Detroit.  The primary source of frustration for Red Wings fans with Copp is point production. 16 points in 38 games this season (after just 33 last season and 42 the year prior) does not scan as sufficient production for him.

However, this dissatisfaction ignores the simple reality of the way usage shapes production.  Copp has never spent much time on the power play during his tenure in Detroit, spending even less on the first power play unit in particular.  However, at five-on-five this season, he is third on the Red Wings in scoring with 14 points, trailing only Lucas Raymond (16) and Alex DeBrincat (15).  That is to say, he has been a more productive five-on-five player this year than both Dylan Larkin (13 points) and Patrick Kane (10).

Copp's latest deployment, centering Todd McLellan's second line with DeBrincat and Kane on his wings, offers a reminder of his offensive upside.  Copp's hockey sense is excellent, and he is a highly proficient passer.  Playing in a role than promotes attack over checking (in contrast to the way, say, his line with Michael Rasmussen and Christian Ficher would play) reminds that he remains a useful attacking player at even strength.

In the featured video above, I discussed Copp's five-on-five impact in more detail.

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