Andrew Copp explains the burgeoning role and identity of the Copp-Compher-Rasmussen line for the Red Wings

Detroit's top line of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond has (understandably) commanded the bulk of the attention for their staggering offensive production.  

However, if the Red Wings are serious about taking strides in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference, it will take more than attacking flair.  To borrow Derek Lalonde's phrase, Detroit will not be able to outscore its problems for long.

That's where Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, and Michael Rasmussen come in.

After the Red Wings' 6-3 win over the Penguins last week, Lalonde revealed that his second line trio had come to him to request a match-up with Pittsburgh's top line, centered by Sidney Crosby.  

In that revelation, Lalonde made explicit the Copp-Compher-Rasmussen trio's role, as a shut-down, match-up line of the sort any Cup contender worth its salt has to have.  The second-year head coach described all three of the line's constituents as "proud 200-foot players."

To get a better sense of how the line has come together, I caught up with Andrew Copp after Wednesday's practice.

According to the 10-year pro, the trio is just beginning to find its groove.

"I feel like we've got levels to get to honestly," Copp tells The Hockey News.  "It feels like we've had a decent amount of Grade A chances, but we haven't really sustained offensive zone pressure as much as we've wanted to, so I think that's what we're focused on—retrieving pucks, holding on to them a little bit longer down low to create a little bit more offensive zone time.  We're getting our A chances, but we're not really getting the B chances and the kind of sustained zone pressure that we want.  The more zone time you get, the more chances you're gonna get, so that's our focus right now."

Unlike the Larkin line, Copp and company don't thrive in transition.  Instead, their success stems from their play down low in the offensive zone, and maximizing that success means spending as much time as possible going to work on the cycle and hemming opponents into their own end.

Among the unique features of the trio is that all three constituent parts have experience at center at the NHL level.  As Copp explains it, he and Compher are effectively each playing half of two positions: center and right wing.

"We all feel comfortable playing low if we're the first guy [back in the defensive zone], but especially between me and J.T. taking the face-offs, we kind of switch off center and right wing a little bit, which has gone pretty well so far," he explains.  "I don't know if it's a huge advantage, but there's definitely some defensive IQ and understanding that usually a centerman has...I think we see plays developing, anticipate, eliminate scoring chances."

In practical terms, it tends to be face-offs that dictate who will play what role.  If a draw is on the left, the left-handed Copp will take it.  If it's on the right, the right-handed Compher will assume the center role.

"It's just off face-offs mostly," Copp says.  "He's playing center, and I'm playing wing, but wherever the face-off is to start the shift.  If I'm taking the defensive zone draw on the left side, I'll play center until the puck gets out, and so we've been reading it off each other pretty well with that aspect."

As for the request to play against Crosby's line when the Penguins were in town, Copp explains that he and his line-mates take pride in their ability to lighten the load for Dylan Larkin and the top line by confronting the opponent's most formidable forward unit.

"You watch Larks' line, and they're producing at a pretty high rate right now, so you want to free them up and give them matchups that are maybe a little bit more advantageous," Copp points out.  "They don't have to play against the top line every night, because they're gonna get the top D pair, but they might not have to go get the top line every night.  I think you kinda saw that against Tampa a bit, with us going out there against [Brayden] Point a good amount...I think we felt like that's who we are as a line—being able to play against the top line, and I think that's a really good recipe so far."

When asked what he considers a successful night against top competition, Copp explains that not conceding a goal is a starting point but adds that he knows his line needs to produce as well.

"We're at the point now where we feel like we can not give up much and produce, get good chances, keep momentum," Copp explains.

"At the end of the night, if they don't score that's kind of a good night," he adds, before catching himself.  "I don't want to say that's a good night, because at this time in my career, I'm expected to produced as well.  Can't just count on [defense].  But at the same time, if you're doing a job against them and that frees up Larks to play against a line that maybe doesn't have to worry about checking as much, I think that's good for the team."

As for the unit's overall identity, Copp explains that the formula is rather simple: relying on a heavy forecheck and a collective tactical intelligence to feed prolonged spells in the offensive zone:

"All three of us forecheck pretty well, read the play, and then, Ras kinda gets to the net, and J.T. and I are looking for the space in the corners and trying to make plays.  So I think the more offensive zone sustained time, the better."