3 Detroit Red Wings that need to step up in Dylan Larkin’s absence

Ever since Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin had to be helped off the ice after being knocked out in the first period against the Ottawa Senators, J.T. Compher was placed on Injured Reserve, and David Perron was suspended for six games after seeking justice for Larkin, there has been an opportunity for some of the Red Wings to step up their play and help fill the gap left by the absence of those three key players.

Even with the Detroit Red Wings off to a good start this season, there are some players who can seize this chance to get their season back on track. Three players that come to mind are Andrew Copp, Michael Rasmussen, and Jonatan Berggren.

In the game against St. Louis, all three of these guys racked up more points, so I hope they continue to step up. If the Red Wings want a chance to keep competing, they will need these players to step up.

Let’s dive into the three key players.

Detroit Red Wings need Andrew Copp to step things up.

The first Red Wing that comes to mind for me to step up in Larkin’s absence is Andrew Copp. Even though he had five points in the five games leading up to the Ottawa contest, Copp went scoreless in the seven games before that. After last season, I have adjusted my expectations for Copp after having high hopes based on his performance with the New York Rangers in the 2022 playoffs.

Even with my adjusted expectations, I was hoping for more production out of Copp at this point in the season. I know that he had an abdominal surgery before the start of last season that slowed him down, so it makes sense that the campaign did not go as expected. However, this season, Copp has come in healthy and has the opportunity to make the most of that fact.

With the teams’ number one center out, Copp centered the top line in Dallas with Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane and was not able to record a point. In the game against St. Louis, the Red Wings went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, so the centers were rotated between forwards throughout the night. Copp did make good on his opportunity against St. Louis, picking up an assist on the goal by Robby Fabbri.

I don’t want to make it sound like Copp has been a total letdown this season. I think this is an opportunity to break out and show everyone that Steve Yzerman wasn’t crazy when he signed him to his current five-year contract. With the two top centers for the Red Wings out, this is his chance to show that he deserves to be a center for this team moving forward, as the competition for ice time will increase as the team continues to improve over the coming seasons.

Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen is starting to step up.

The next Detroit Red Wings player who could really step up his play while the captain is recovering is Michael Rasmussen. Similar to Copp, Rasmussen had come alive in the three matchups before Ottawa, scoring five points in those games after only recording six points in the previous 22. It was great to see Rasmussen finally break out and put up the points he has shown flashes that he can.

Rasmussen has had a few opportunities to score some goals this season that he blew by hitting the post or missing a wide-open net. Many people were expecting more offensive output from Rasmussen so far this season after steadily improving in that department over the last two seasons with 27 and 29 points, respectively.

Even though his offense hasn’t been great, he did make an excellent play to set up Seider’s tying goal in the second period against St. Louis. Then he backed that up with some hustle on the empty net goal that sealed the deal for a much-needed win. Those points put him on pace for a 38-point season, which would be his best so far in his career. This shows he isn’t having a bad season, though; it feels like he can be a 50-point guy.

Rasmussen is in the same position as Copp in that this is his chance to show everyone that he can center a top-six line and earn himself some more ice time as the season goes on. With Compher and Larkin around, I don’t see him playing as a center in the top six, as those guys have been playing great. He can ensure that he continues to center a line on this team and earn a spot for years to come if he can continue to improve and get a full & healthy season under his belt.