Trade alert of a Detroit Red Wings valuable player and he's packing his bags to leave
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The Detroit Red Wings are looking to trade a forward and it's not who you think it is.
With the offseason heating up, many assumed veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko would be the first name on the move from Detroit.
Instead, reports now indicate that general manager Steve Yzerman is actively trading away center Andrew Copp, a surprising development that has caught many fans off guard.
As stated by Nick Kypreos on Sportsnet, the current market for centers is highly favorable for sellers, and Detroit appears poised to take advantage of that momentum:
"As we've mentioned at times throughout this piece, the centre market is full of buyers, so it's a perfect time for a seller to explore the market. Andrew Copp signed a five-year contract with a $5.625 million cap hit to join Detroit in 2022 when he was coming off a career-best season, but he has not built on that and, in fact, has had declining offensive totals in each of the past three years.
That's not the best sell job on this player, which is why GM Steve Yzerman could be open to retaining a hefty amount of Copp's cap hit for the next two years. Ideally, the Wings would do that if it meant getting a return similar to what Philadelphia got for Scott Laughton (a first-round pick). Copp has a 10-team no-trade list in his contract."
That's not the best sell job on this player, which is why GM Steve Yzerman could be open to retaining a hefty amount of Copp's cap hit for the next two years. Ideally, the Wings would do that if it meant getting a return similar to what Philadelphia got for Scott Laughton (a first-round pick). Copp has a 10-team no-trade list in his contract."
Copp signed a five-year, $5.625 million AAV contract with the Red Wings in 2022 after posting a career-best season. Expectations were high when he came in, but since then, his offensive production has declined each year, affecting his trade value.
To get an interesting return, the Wings may need to swallow a large chunk of Copp's cap hit for the remaining two years of his deal. It's also worth noting that Copp holds a 10-team no-trade list, which could slightly complicate negotiations.
If Yzerman wants to create cap space, retaining money may be his only option, but it's likely that other players will be dealt as well if the GM wants to make a significant acquisition.
Previously on Red Wings Insider
| POLL | ||
JUIN 26 | 233 ANSWERS Trade alert of a Detroit Red Wings valuable player and he's packing his bags to leave Do you think Steve Yzerman will trade Vladimir Tarasenko and Andrew Copp this summer? | ||
| Yes | 188 | 80.7 % |
| No | 45 | 19.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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