One bright side to the Red Wings 2024-25 season
Photo credit: Daily Faceoff
One bright spot for the Red Wings despite missing the postseason for the 9th straight year was the play of Andrew Copp, and his absence was notably felt.
The Red Wings have now missed the postseason for 9 straight years, making it officially the longest drought in team history.
It's an especially startling stat, considering that they are now in preparations to celebrate their centennial season after being founded in 1926.
GM Steve Yzerman is beginning to feel more pressure to deliver on the famed "Yzerplan", which has yielded several talented young players and prospects but has yet to result in a single playoff appearance.
While he's faced criticism for signing underperforming players like Andrew Copp and J.T. Compher to long contracts, a positive sign for the Red Wings to take with them into the summer was the play of Copp.
Anthony Ibanez of Octopus Thrower graded his overall season with a B-:
Honestly, I've never held Copp liable for his contract. All he did was push his chips in, and the Red Wings bit. I understand why they did, but it doesn't mean it was the right decision. But regardless of his contract status, Copp plays his role and plays it really well. That's why he was graded as a B-.
Copp was hurt during a scrap against the Minnesota Wild in late February, and it was soon announced that his year was over because of an injured pectoral muscle that required surgery to repair.
Coincidently, the Red Wings soon began their 2nd straight slide in the month of March and blew what was a lead in the race for one of the final Wild Card playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
While Copp isn't known for stacking up points, his defensive play and veteran leadership proved valuable for the Red Wings and were clearly missed when he went down with his injury.
His contract, which he signed in 2022 and carries an AAV (average annual value) of $5,625,000, has 2 years remaining.
| POLL | ||
MAI 24 | 75 ANSWERS One bright side to the Red Wings 2024-25 season Will Andrew Copp help the Red Wings to the playoffs in 2026? | ||
| Yes | 42 | 56 % |
| No | 33 | 44 % |
| List of polls | ||
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