Derek Lalonde calls out Andrew Copp for defensive lapse

There really hasn't been a more disappointing signing by Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman in recent memory than Andrew Copp, who was given a five-year contract at nearly $6 million to be their second line center but has been nothing short of a frustrating backfire. 

Not only does Copp routinely go stretches of over 20 games without scoring a goal, which isn't acceptable for a forward with his salary, but he also contributes almost nothing defensively. And that was on full display during last night's crushing setback against the Washington Capitals.

During the third period, Detroit lost what was a 2-1 lead thanks to a pair of quick strikes by the host Capitals, capped by Dylan Strome's go-ahead goal that really frustrated Detroit's bench boss. 

Strome won the face-off and swiftly evaded Copp as he maneuvered towards the side of goaltender Alex Lyon. In a matter of moments, he found himself in prime scoring position to slip the puck past Lyon, leaving Copp trailing too late to mount a defense.

"Just a faceoff man-on-man, I don't know what our center (Copp) was thinking," Lalonde said. "He lost it clean and left the center and that's the guy (Strome) who banged it home. That's minor hockey, that's Hockey 101, that's hockey 15 years ago and hockey 15 years from now.

"Just really disappointed in that one."

In the 71 games that he's played this year, Copp has scored only 12 goals and 20 assists, which comes on the heels of last season's disappointing total of just nine goals and 33 assists.

Unless Copp is able to start putting points together the way that he was expected to, he will go down as one of the most disappointing contract signings in recent memory. 

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