The Detroit Red Wings have announced that forward Andrew Copp will be sidelined for the rest of the season following surgery on his left pectoral tendon.
Copp sustained the injury during Saturday’s overtime defeat to the Minnesota Wild and is expected to take four to six months to recover.
This season, the 30-year-old center has played in 56 games, scoring 10 goals and accumulating 23 points, with an average ice time of 14:42.
“Andrew has become a crucial part of our team,” Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan stated after the news, according to the Detroit Free Press. “It’s clear how significant he is. He has been anchoring our second-line center position, contributing on the penalty kill and power play, and I felt he was really starting to hit his stride, playing some of his best hockey.
“Losing a player like him is a significant blow.”
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Copp’s injury is a significant setback for the Red Wings as they push for their first playoff appearance since 2016. Currently holding the top wild-card spot, Detroit has only a two-point lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are just outside the playoff race.
If the Red Wings place Copp on long-term injured reserve before the trade deadline, they could free up $5.625 million in cap space. The Ann Arbor, MI native remains under contract at that cap hit through the 2026-27 season.
Detroit has already opened up additional financial flexibility by trading Ville Husso to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations, removing his $4.75 million cap hit. According to PuckPedia, if the Red Wings utilize LTIR for injured players, they could have over $13.5 million in cap space at the deadline.
Originally selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, Copp has recorded 114 goals and 300 points across 700 career NHL games.
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