Red Wings Sign Center Andrew Copp

The Detroit Red Wings announced the signing of center Andrew Copp on Wednesday.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed center Andrew Copp to a 5-year contract. pic.twitter.com/P6L4w55HlM

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 13, 2022

The deal had been rumored in the lead-up to NHL free agency opening.

While the team did not announce financial terms – as per usual – Copp’s contract reportedly carries a $5.625 million salary cap hit over five years.

That feels like a high number to me but it’s the same cap hit that Vincent Trocheck got from the New York Rangers – Copp’s now-former team – so it seems to be market value.  I do like that it’s “only” five years, as opposed to Trocheck’s seven-year deal.  I think it was probably GM Steve Yzerman’s best option.  That doesn’t mean there’s not risk, though.

Copp put up points at a prolific rate in his short run with the New York Rangers last spring but never matched that during his tenure with the Winnipeg Jets.  Is the former indicative of what he can do with an increased role or an outlier?

My biggest feeling is that the deal seemed inevitable.  The Ann Arbor native played with Compuware, the USNTDP, and at Michigan.  But if this is a “local guy comes home” thing, it would have been nice to see a hometown discount as part of it.  The Wings have plenty of cap space now but raises will be due for a ton of players over the life of this deal.