TAMPA, FL. – The Detroit Red Wings at least have a bit of clarity now on the leg injuries that Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp are dealing with.
"Andrew and Dylan are going to be two weeks," coach Todd McLellan said after Thursday's morning skate at International Benchmark Arena. "We'll reassess them then.
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"They're both very good players. We'd like to have them in the lineup. If all goes well with recovery, we hopefully have them back. And in that timeframe, 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 into speed and get their lungs and their legs back. So we're hoping the two-week timeframe is what it turns out to be."
Larkin injured his right leg March 6 when he came to an awkward stop. Copp was injured March 10 when he got tangled up during a face-off and an opposing player fell on his left leg. The Wings called up forwards Sheldon Dries, John Leonard and Eduards Tralmaks on March 11, but as of the morning skate, only Dries figured to be in the evening lineup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
J.T. Compher is the next man up to play between Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, replacing Copp. Marco Kasper was moved up to play in Larkin's spot next to Lucas Raymond, with Emmitt Finnie also part of the group.
Injuries are part and parcel of an NHL season, but masking losing the top two centers at a time when the Wings (36-22-7 entering Thursday) are trying to keep their foothold in the standings is especially challenging.
"We have to check for our chances," McLellan said. "We did that in Jersey, and for the most part, we did it in Florida the other day. It got away on us in the last minute, minute and a half of the game. We'd like to have that back, but we don't have that luxury."
"So everybody has to contribute, check for the chances. You lose some scoring, and obviously that middle or center ice position is so very important."
The Wings have had better auxiliary scoring of late, with production from Kasper and Finnie, James van Riemsdyk and Dominik Shine. But Compher hasn't scored since Jan. 16, and Michael Rasmussen since Jan. 5
"We have some mid-range guys that haven't scored in a long time, and we need them to step up and deliver," McLellan said. "If we can keep that auxiliary stuff going and have them step up and check and be responsible but provide us with a little bit of offense to compensate, then we'll be in a good spot."
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings injury updates: Dylan Larkin, Andrew Copp out 2 weeks