“J.T. (Compher) is one of my closest friends,” Copp said. “Skated a ton with the Cat (Alex DeBrincat) this summer. There’s a lot of familiarity walking around the room already, which is really nice.”
Copp said that familiarity extends to the Red Wings coaching staff.
“Even the drills, you go to the board and (Lalonde) starts explaining it,” Copp said. “You know what you’re doing. You don’t need to ask questions after and slow down the practice.”
The players now know Lalonde’s system better, and Copp said that understanding will only improve as the season progresses.
“I think we have a good template of how we want to play,” Copp said. “System, structure, the little things of where guys are going to be and little tendencies that guys have.”
Copp has embraced a leadership role since joining the Red Wings, helping establish the club’s identity into what he describes as being really hard to play against.
“I wouldn’t say playing hard to play against in terms of big hits and really heavy, but I think it’s going to be quick,” he said. “It’s going to be on the puck and not giving teams a lot of time and space.”
Like Copp, forwards Michael Rasmussen and David Perron play a hard-nosed style on the ice. And for a brief stretch last season, the trio gained chemistry on the same line before Rasmussen sustained a season-ending lower-body injury in February.
While Copp is excited about potentially strengthening that chemistry with Rasmussen and Perron again this season, he pointed out Lalonde will likely tinker with his lines throughout the season.
“You saw it last year, the lines changed very often,” Copp said. “But I also feel like I’m going to be a different player this year, so that can kind of change chemistry almost. You have a little bit more jump and energy, so maybe my game ramps up a little bit and then chemistry changes.”
