{"id":418385,"date":"2026-01-20T19:21:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T19:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/418385\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T19:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T19:21:17","slug":"copp-delivering-the-goods-for-red-wings-detroit-hockey-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/418385\/","title":{"rendered":"Copp Delivering The Goods For Red Wings \/ Detroit Hockey Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ask Andrew Copp if this is the best he\u2019s played for the Detroit<\/a> Red Wings, and his answer tells you everything you need to know about the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel the best about our team that I\u2019ve felt in a while, so that\u2019s all that matters,\u201d Copp said.<\/p>\n

If he wanted to brag on where his own game is at, Copp would certainly be entitled to do that. Since moving to the center spot on Detroit\u2019s second line between Alex DeBrincat<\/a> and Patrick Kane<\/a>, Copp has accounted for 7-14-21 totals over the past 24 games.<\/p>\n

Except that he\u2019s not prone to feeling a sense of entitlement.<\/p>\n

ANDREW COPP IS THE OT HERO FOR DETROIT \ud83e\udebd pic.twitter.com\/cnQonMJq6h<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SleeperNHL (@SleeperNHL) January 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cJust trying to play a good game, play the game that\u2019s in front of me, not try to force anything, especially offensively, and make sure I\u2019m solid everywhere,\u201d is Copp\u2019s assessment of his performance.<\/p>\n

He\u2019ll leave the superlatives to be delivered by others.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Copper\u2019s confidence is back to a level where it needs to be,\u201d Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. \u201cAnd why did that happen?<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s put himself in a situation where he\u2019s using his legs more during the game, and he\u2019s finding ways to be around the net more than he was maybe earlier in the season. And as that happens and you find a way to score a goal every now and then, you start to feel good about yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably the best he\u2019s felt all year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Wings Struggled To Find Role For Copp<\/p>\n

At the outset of the season, Marco Kasper<\/a> was the player slotted in between Kane and DeBrincat. That left McLellan trying to figure out where Copp fit into the overall scheme of things for the Red Wings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought Casp would fit that hole,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cSo now, where does Copper go?<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, we have tried him on the wing during the year. Maybe that didn\u2019t help him. It wasn\u2019t a big span, but we did put him over there for a bit on some nights, and sometimes we get in the way of players\u2019 confidence or development, and this could be a case of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

As things turned out, Copp had a spot waiting for him to fill.<\/p>\n

Andrew Copp breaks the ice for Detroit. \ud83d\udea8 pic.twitter.com\/hOx8yBzXrA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) January 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t necessarily given to him,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cBut I think he\u2019s got more confidence now. He feels like he belongs there. He doesn\u2019t want to relinquish that spot to anybody. And he plays like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copp Valuable To Red Wings<\/p>\n

Due to the five-year deal worth $28.125 million that Copp signed as a UFA in 2022, he\u2019s often a lightning rod among the Detroit fan base. What should never be overlooked is that thanks to his versatility, Copp is a valuable piece in the Red Wings\u2019 puzzle.<\/p>\n

Everyone found that out the hard way last season. After Copp was lost<\/a> for the year with a pectoral injury, the Red Wings\u2019 playoff hopes went into free fall.<\/p>\n

In Detroit\u2019s first eight games minus Copp, the team went 2-6. The Wings were 3-7 in the first 10 games without the veteran center and 4-9 through 13 contests in his absence.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe became a pretty important piece,\u201d McLellan said. \u201cUnfortunately, we lost him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copp is an important piece again this season, filling a vital role. And once again, the Red Wings cannot afford to lose him.<\/p>\n

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