Some good news on the injury front: the Detroit Red Wings may be getting a top-six center back sooner than expected.
Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News reported today that center Andrew Copp may be making his return as early as tomorrow against the Montreal Canadiens. "McLellan says there’s a chance Copp plays tomorrow, after practicing today," Kulfan stated on social media, "but a lot goes into the decision."
Copp exited last week's game against the Florida Panthers with a leg injury. At the time, head coach Todd McLellan said that Copp could be out as long as two weeks. News of his potential return is extremely encouraging for the Red Wings, who have barely managed to stay afloat since Copp's injury, managing a 1-2-1 record in an extremely tight Atlantic race.
How Copp's return benefits Red Wings
This news couldn't have come at a better time for the Red Wings. Last weekend, center Michael Rasmussen went down with an injury as well, taking both him, Copp and captain Dylan Larkin off the table for the foreseeable future. Copp's line chemistry with teammates Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat bring an extra two-way level to the Red Wings, letting the two extremely talented wingers get to work.
This also takes additional pressure off the rest of the lineup, allowing center J.T. Compher to move down to a more comfortable role. Copp's two-way play is integral to the Red Wings. Last season, after losing Copp, the team fell apart and missed the playoffs. His presence was direly missed as a stabilizing presence on the lineup. This time around, the Red Wings have more talent on the back end, but Copp's skill and leadership are clearly key difference-makers on this roster.
Copp's 37 points in 65 games had him on a 46-point pace, which would put him at his highest point totals in his time with the Red Wings. Getting a two-way player of Copp's caliber back should help right the ship when it comes to defensive woes.
Rookie center's role uncertain
With Copp, Larkin and Rasmussen out, rookie Emmitt Finnie stepped into the center role for the first time in his NHL career. He performed admirably in his audition, scoring a goal and an assist in two games as center. Now that Copp is back, however, Finnie's role as a center is uncertain.
He's shown he's got what it takes to not only survive, but thrive in this role. It's entirely possible that he could step in as the de facto 2C until Larkin returns to bump Copp down. Then again, J.T. Compher's performance as an improvised top-six center has been respectable as well. Compher has three points in four games as the team's temporary 1C.
Still, any news is good news for the Red Wings, who are fighting to stay afloat in an extremely competitive Atlantic division.