Red Wings announce injury to veteran forward

The Detroit Red Wings earned a crucial victory last night at SAP Center in San Jose, prevailing over the San Jose Sharks by a final score of 5-3. This win gave the Red Wings a little bit of redemption for their previous 6-5 overtime loss against the Sharks nearly a month ago at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

And as their western road swing in the state of California continues tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Kings, they may be without veteran forward Andrew Copp, who is dealing with a lower body ailment apparently suffered against the Sharks.

According to Detroit Free Press beat writer Helene St. James, Copp's status will be determined prior to the game tomorrow night at Crypto.com Arena. 

"Derek Lalonde says Andrew Copp (lower body) will skate tomorrow morning, then know if available tomorrow night for Wings at Kings. If not, Wings could go at 11 and seven."

Copp hasn't exactly racked up the points in his second season with the Red Wings, having only scored five goals with 12 assists in 38 games played - a far cry from the kind of production that they expected from him when they signed him to a five-year contract that carries an AAV of nearly $6 million a year. His last goal was 25 games ago against his former club, the New York Rangers on November 7. 

Right now, he's only on pace to register 37 points on the season. Simply put, the Red Wings need more out of Copp in terms of production, given the fact that he's making the average salary of a 2nd line center in the NHL. 

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