Review our list of 3 Detroit Red Wings players who should be playing elsewhere next season.
Following Tuesday night’s loss to the Washington Capitals, the Detroit Red Wings are teetering on the edge. Although there remains a mathematical possibility of securing a Stanley Cup Playoff spot, their prospects were significantly dimmed by the regulation loss. If they fail to make the postseason for an eighth consecutive year, it would mark a new low for the franchise, prompting an evaluation of the roster for the upcoming season. We have a list of 3 Detroit Red Wings players who should be playing elsewhere next season.
Simply put, Andrew Copp has not lived up to the expectations that came with his hefty contract that sees him get paid nearly $6 million per year. He’s registered only 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 77 games played in his second year of the five-year contract, which followed up last year’s output of 41 points (nine goals, 33 assists).
He was brought in with the expectation of serving as a second-line center, but he’s failing to meet the anticipated performance level. According to Spotrac, if GM Steve Yzerman opts to buy out his contract, it would incur a salary cap hit of $1,260,417 annually for the 2024-25 season. This figure increases to $1,760,417 in 2025-26, followed by a jump to $3,135,417 in 2026-27. Subsequently, the remaining four years of the buyout would carry a slightly higher cap hit of $1,885,417 through the 2030-31 season.
He’s first on the list of the 3 Detroit Red Wings players who should not be with the team next season.