DETROIT -- Andrew Copp (broken cheekbone) and Michael Rasmussen (upper body) both will be unavailable for Thursday’s pivotal road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde announced following Wednesday’s practice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center.
Copp sustained his injury late in the third period of Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals after being hit by the stick of opposing forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel. In 77 games this season, Copp has 33 points on 13 goals and 20 assists.
“He’s going to have to go through, having that caved in cheekbone there, more protocol here in the next 24 hours,” Lalonde said about Copp. “In this day and age, we’ll know more in the next couple days, but unavailable for Pittsburgh. Would love to see him rolling out with his old Michigan college cage back on and give us some games down the stretch, but time will tell.”