Tampa Bay – The Red Wings’ situation just got a bit cloudier.
Coach Todd McLellan said after Thursday’s morning skate the Wings will be without centers Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp for at least two weeks.
“We’ll reassess them then,” said McLellan, who added newly-acquired David Perron, who had hernia surgery in January, should be ready to play in a week.
Larkin was hurt March 6 against Florida, the night of the trade deadline, when he awkwardly fell onto the ice and crunching his right leg. Thursday’s game in Tampa was the third consecutive game he’s missed.
Copp was hurt in Tuesday’s game in Florida. During a faceoff against Florida’s Tomas Nosek, Copp fell underneath Nosek, crushing Copp’s left leg in an uncomfortable position.
The loss of Larkin and Copp down the middle of the lineup necessitated the Wings to recall center Sheldon Dries (Macomb) from minor-league affiliate Grand Rapids.
The two-week timespan would benefit the Wings if it just stays two weeks. But with approximately six or seven games during that span, and the Wings barely holding on to a playoff spot, this will test the roster.
“Two weeks is two weeks and they’re both very good players and we’d be glad to have them in the lineup,” McLellan said. “If all goes well with recovery, we hope to have them back and in that time frame, they don’t lose a lot of conditioning or timing, if you will. As it goes longer, then you run into having to get them back up to speed and getting their lungs and legs back.
“We’re hoping the two-week time frame is what it turns out to be.
The Wings will need be strong defensively and continue to get offensive contributions from everyone in the lineup.
“We have to check for our chances, and we did that in New Jersey and for the most part we did in Florida,” McLellan said. “It got away from us the last minute or two minutes of the game and we’d like to have that back but we don’t get that luxury.”
In the Wings’ forward lineup, J.T. Compher centers Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, while Marco Kasper centers Emmitt Finnie and Lucas Raymond. Michael Rasmussen is between Mason Appleton and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and Dries is between Dominik Shine and James van Riemsdyk.
John Gibson will start in net Thursday night, with no changes on defense.
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
@tkulfan
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Dylan Larkin, Andrew Copp out two weeks for Red Wings
Reporting by Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
