For Copp and Larkin, leadership is 'something they take very seriously'

As college football fans, Andrew Copp and Dylan Larkin know the importance of winning during rivalry week, especially when No. 3 Michigan traveled to Columbus to face No. 2 Ohio State this past Saturday for a game with bragging rights and Big Ten Championship implications on the line.

And after watching the Wolverines defeat the Buckeyes, 45-23, to earn a spot in Saturday's Big Ten title game, Copp said he likes their alma mater's national championship chances.
"If you can beat Ohio State in Ohio State, you can beat anybody," Copp said on Sunday. "So, we'll see."

A shared love for the maize and blue is one of the many things that Copp and Larkin have in common. They are also southeast Michigan natives, were teammates in the 2014-15 season at the University of Michigan and are left-shooting centermen with the Detroit Red Wings.
And perhaps most importantly, Larkin and Copp both know success in the NHL doesn't come easy.
"In terms of hockey, dedication in this sport and the work that it takes, we think the same way," Copp said on Oct. 22. "Larkin is a guy who I got to see in the summer and then once a year when we played against each other, but to be back on the same team now, especially here, it's been good."
Selected in the fourth round (104th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Copp finished last season with career-highs in goals (21), assists (32), points (53) and average time on ice (19:11) in 72 games with the Jets and New York Rangers.
Copp said when he was considering free-agency destinations this past offseason, Larkin "always hinted at getting me to come home."
"Getting to play for your hometown team is really rare in this league," said Copp,
who signed a five-year contract with the Red Wings on July 13.
"I'm just fortunate to be able to be one of those guys who gets to do it for a few years here while being around friends and family the whole year instead of only a few months in the summer."
The 26-year-old Larkin, who was Detroit's 15th overall pick in 2014, said it's special to reunite with a close friend in Copp.
"I've only had two captains in my entire career: him and Henrik Zetterberg," Larkin said to Bally Sports Detroit on Sept. 23. "I do take a lot from him and even the culture of Michigan hockey and college hockey, itself."

Copp said he learned the importance of dedication during his time with Larkin and the Wolverines.
"I've always had that, but I took it to another level because you learn more," Copp said. "You learn about your process, plus the things you need to do on and off the ice to get better."
Influenced by their respective professional hockey journeys, Copp and Larkin bring leadership to the Red Wings, which is important for a club learning a new system and developing chemistry.
"It's interesting, in talking with Copp during the recruiting process, that he was Dylan's captain in Michigan and they've kind of flipped a role," head coach Derek Lalonde said on Oct. 22. "I think that's pretty cool. But that (leadership) is something they take very seriously and something they're still looking to develop."

Lalonde added that Larkin and Copp have led by example throughout their careers.
"They understand the importance of leadership and how important it is within a team," Lalonde said. "They're part of that group now. It's a team effort."
Citing leadership as a key intangible of any successful team, Lalonde said he views Larkin and Copp as key pieces to the future of the franchise.
"Every team that ends up having any kind of success at all, you can point right to the leadership group," Lalonde said. "It usually comes from the room, and it starts with those two guys."
Through 21 games this season, Larkin (9-15-24) leads the Red Wings in assists and points, while Copp has two goals and nine assists for 11 points.
For Larkin, the mindset he preaches to his teammates is that of intensity and passion.

"The reality of this league is you have to bring it every night," Larkin said on Oct. 26. "If you don't have your A-plus game or emotion, you have to find something close."
Providing stability in the middle for a lineup mixed with talented veterans and youngsters, Copp and Larkin are confident in what the Red Wings can accomplish this season.
"We're all about winning," Copp said. "I think it's only going to continue to get better."