Red Wings F Copp (torn pec) done for season
Published
The Detroit Red Wings have ruled out forward Andrew Copp for the remainder the season after surgery on his left pectoral tendon.
Copp, who was injured in Saturday's overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild, has been given a recovery timeline of four-to-six months.
In 56 games this season, the 30-year-old centre has 10 goals and 23 points while averaging 14:42 of ice time.
"Andrew’s become a really important part of our hockey club," Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said after the announcement, per the Detroit Free Press. "I think that’s pretty evident. He’s been able to anchor that second-line center, played penalty kill and power play, and I thought he was really coming on, playing some of his best hockey.
"When you talk about an individual like that and you lose him, it’s a big blow."
Copp's injury is a massive blow to the Red Wings as the team fights to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The team currently sits in the top wild-card spot with just a two-point cushion on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are out of the playoff picture.
The Red Wings could free $5.625 million in cap space by placing Copp on long-term injured reserve ahead of the trade deadline. The Ann Arbor, MI native remains signed at that cap hit through the 2026-27 season.
Detroit cleared Ville Husso's $4.75 million cap hit from their books with Monday's trade to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations. PuckPedia projects the Red Wings could have more than $13.5 million in deadline cap space if players are shelved on LTIR.
Selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, Copp has 114 goals and 300 points in 700 career games.