The Detroit Red Wings received troubling injury news on Thursday regarding two of their most important forwards.
Head coach Todd McLellan told reporters that Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp are expected to be out for at least two weeks before being reassessed, leaving Detroit without its top two centers during a critical stretch of the season.
The timeline means both players will miss at least the next six games, including Thursday night’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Injuries piling up for Detroit
Larkin has already missed two games after suffering a lower-body injury last Friday against the Florida Panthers.
Copp also sustained a lower-body injury earlier in the week, which occurred during another game against Florida.
Both players play critical roles in Detroit’s lineup, making their absence especially concerning as the team fights to stay in the playoff picture.
McLellan hopes for quick return
McLellan expressed optimism that the timeline will hold if recovery progresses as expected.
“If all goes well with recovery, we hope we have them back and in that time frame,” McLellan said via MLive.
“They don’t lose a lot of conditioning or timing. As it goes longer, then you run into having to get them back up into speed and get their lungs and their legs back.”
For now, the Red Wings will have to navigate the next portion of their schedule without their top two centers — a challenge that could play a major role in shaping Detroit’s playoff fate.
