12:07 pm: The Detroit Red Wings have officially announced the contract, bringing him to Hockeytown through 2027.
11:34 am: TSN’s Darren Dreger reports a five-year deal worth $5.625MM per season in Detroit for Copp.
07:33 am: The trend this year is going home, and Andrew Copp might be the latest to do so. Multiple reports including from Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie of TSN suggest that Copp will sign with the Detroit Red Wings when things open up, bringing him back to the place where all of his NHL dreams began.
Born in Ann Arbor, Copp would eventually don the maize and blue by heading to the University of Michigan for three seasons, where he developed into one of the most versatile players in college hockey and quickly outpaced his projections as a fourth-round pick in the NHL. By the time he was ready to exit college, the Winnipeg Jets were ready to put him directly into the lineup and Copp skipped the minor leagues entirely (he would play eight games for Manitoba, but not until after his rookie season).
After more than 450 games with the Jets, Copp found himself on the brink of free agency and because of that, traded to the New York Rangers. He excelled with his new team, showing that he could be a perfect complementary piece near the top of a lineup, and racked up 18 points in 16 games down the stretch. Another 14 in 20 playoff games, along with full-time minutes as a center, and Copp was ready for the open market.
A player who can kill penalties, contribute to the powerplay and line up at any of the three forward spots, his value to the Red Wings would likely fall in the middle of the ice. It just so happens that one of his teammates with Michigan was Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who is also on the verge of a contract extension to lock him into the Detroit future. Should Copp sign, he’ll be surrounded by a glut of talented wingers and the Red Wings’ forward group will quickly start to take shape.
YES! BRING HIM HOME STEVIE!!!!
Copp and Palat could be headed to Detroit.
Seeing Palat walking away is a sad thing. But if he really has to go, Detroit is the best place.
maybe Zadina will have a center to work with now. Hope they give him a year to get into the goal scoring mode minus Jeff Blashill
Zadina was the problem on every line he played on. It wasnt him not having a worthy center. It was him making horrendous decisions and turning over the puck while refusing to ever look up before making a decision
Trade him for a LD like Soucy!
Overpay (I’ll take Geno for a couple bucks more) but that’s how free agency works and he’s a really good hockey player.
Nice thing is even if his offense dries up, he can be a good third liner, too.
Overpay it is. Considering what the Rangers just did, I’d say they (the Rangers) made the right move.
Wow I really like Copp as a secondary piece but they better hope last year wasn’t a fluke. This contract could look terrible in a few years.
Hopefully Andrew plays good Copp, not bad Copp during this contract.
Well done.
He is a nice player. Not 5.6 a yr but good for him.