DETROIT — Make no mistake, Andrew Copp is incredibly grateful.

But the Winnipeg Jets forward does wonder sometimes what might have been had he pursued football instead of hockey.

“Oh, yeah, I do,” Copp said during a one-on-one interview. “I always wonder if I had put in all of the time and effort (into football) that I did into hockey and how that would have translated. No one really knows.”

Copp is into his fifth full NHL season, but there was a time not so long ago when he was turning heads as a promising high school quarterback.

“I got seen right before my senior year at the Nike camp and in my senior year, but I never sent tape out or did any of that,” he said. “That’s the one thing I regret a little bit. Sometimes, you wish you have two lives, to see how the other way would have went.”

Copp didn’t have many opportunities to show his stuff on the football field because he started playing competitively later than many others. But he credits the opportunities he gained playing other sports for helping him reach the NHL.

“You can’t quantify it,” he said. “I played baseball, too, in the ninth and 10th grade. I grew up playing tennis. It’s so important. I still feel like I’m trending this way (up) because of that and because I never specialized when I was younger. I feel like I’m fresh; there’s no burnout.

“I feel like I’ve had better injury prevention because there’s no over-usage and I’ve used every bit of my body to do every single action and reaction type of thing. Mentally, just in terms of the speed of the game of football and reading everything, knowing where guys are going to be and where they should be. That (mental) part of it has helped me a lot with every sport. Hockey helped a lot with football, but football helps with hockey. It’s the snowball effect.”

Although he played only flag football through Grade 8, when he reached Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Copp made the move from safety to quarterback and quickly became a team captain and leader.

During his senior season, Copp set a single-game state record with 557 yards passing in a wild 52-49 loss to Pioneer.

“That was the craziest game ever,” Copp said. “There were some bombs, but I couldn’t miss. I had their defence down in my head. Guys were making plays, too. It was the most fun I ever had playing football, until the clock ran out and I was like ‘Oh shit, we lost.’”

Copp wasn’t the only one surprised by the final score, but his remarkable play was what stood out.

“He was in the zone,” said Rod Jones, who was the head coach of Skyline during Copp’s senior year. “You know like when (Michael) Jordan had those games? He was just unstoppable. It was really outstanding to witness.

“That was probably the best football game I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen a lot of football. I played in the NFL for eight years myself. That was one of my shining memories, just watching those young men just go out there and perform.”

Football wasn’t just a hobby for Copp.

He was mulling over several NCAA Division I options, including the University of Minnesota, where he might have been able to become a two-sport athlete.

“It was an interesting time because his love of football is really strong,” said Andy Copp, Andrew’s father. “He had success on the field and there were more potential opportunities starting to come his way. In hockey, he was really stuck at the bottom of the depth chart with the USA program. It had been growing some, but it was still low. For colleges, he was getting some interest for hockey, but Michigan wasn’t as interested. A lot of the schools were really lukewarm at that point. It was kind of an unknown.

“There was definitely growing discussion about if he wanted to follow football or hockey. The whole year during the football season brought a little turmoil mentally, just as far as what path was he going to end up on.”

Copp struggled with the decision.

“After my sophomore year, my coach (Randy Hutchison) was like, ‘Hey, listen, I think you’re good at hockey, but I think you should quit hockey and concentrate on football,’” Copp said. “Then I went to some camps and stuff. I thought, ‘I’m good,’ but I wasn’t sold on it. Then in my junior year, I had a good year.

“We went 0-9 but we averaged 45 points a game. I was understanding a lot of things. I went to the Nike football training camp and went to Michigan’s camp, but by that time they already have guys committed. Going into your senior year and putting yourself on the map is kind of hard.”

Jones is certain Copp would have enjoyed success had he stuck with football.

“Absolutely. Everybody I knew at the time, I tried to make a call for him to get an opportunity just to be seen,” Jones said. “He has those intangible qualities. He may not be 6-foot-4 and he may not run a 4.3 or 4.4 (in the 40-yard dash), but he has those intangible qualities. Those are the type of characters you find. I liken him to a guy like Tom Brady. He wants to win, he puts the work in and I really wanted him to play quarterback in college. I believe in him wholeheartedly.”

Part of what made Copp so successful on the field was the way he processes information, and part of that came from the additional film study he was willing to put in.

Being a student of the game was part of the territory when it came to both hockey and football.

“It came naturally,” Copp said. “The way I’ve looked at everything is pretty analytical. When it comes to playbooks, it’s not the exact same as hockey because hockey is such a free-flowing sport, but the thought process behind it all, the studying … that was easy for me. I was watching (football) film on Sunday to prepare for the next opponent. I loved it.”

On Senior Night at Skyline in 2011, Copp’s football days came to an abrupt halt.

On a seemingly innocuous play, Copp ran for a first down, but was tackled from behind.

He crashed to the ground on his throwing shoulder and didn’t immediately get up.

“I saw the whole play develop and you could see it coming,” Andy Copp said. “That’s a memory that doesn’t go away.”

Copp had suffered a broken collarbone and would never get the opportunity to play another down.

“It was tough,” he said. “I still had time with hockey, but I didn’t have time left with football.”

Jones was heartbroken for Copp.

“More than anything, I felt bad for Andrew. He was doing everything that he could to win,” Jones said. “We run the pistol spread option; it was one of those things where he could give it or he could keep it. He was keeping it and on that last play, I want to say that he got the first down, but he didn’t get up in a hurry.

“Knowing the type of kid he was, you know that if he didn’t get up, you know that something must have happened. I hated that his senior season ended that way. But he created some great memories. That was tough to watch him have to go out that way. He was a tough kid. That was a really tough break.”

Andrew Copp scrambles in the pocket in a 52-49 loss to Pioneer. He set Skyline High School’s single-game record for passing yards in that game.

When Copp recovered, he returned to the ice and his play picked up with the U.S. National Team Development Program.

There was definitely something positive that came from suffering the injury: The college interest that was once lukewarm, started to pick up.

“Honestly, (the injury) was probably the best thing that could have happened, because I needed rest,” Copp said. “Maybe not two or three months, but I needed some time.”

Suddenly, options were once again available and then Copp’s first choice — Michigan — came calling.

But it wasn’t a scholarship offer; Copp would have to earn his way as a walk-on.

“I still get chills thinking about some of the things, like coming out to “Hail to the Victors” (the Wolverines fight song) and everything like that. (My family) had season tickets before I was even born. That was just the dream,” said Copp, who was a product of the Detroit CompuWare program. “To go from being a walk-on, I knew it wasn’t going to stay that way, but you’ve got to go and prove yourself.”

That’s precisely what Copp did, much like he did in the U.S. NDTP where he went from being passed over once to growing into a key contributor over the years.

“Well, he was a little bit of an unknown,” said former University of Michigan coach Red Berenson. “He was a local kid, but he was known as a football player/hockey player. I don’t think anyone knew that he was going to become an NHL hockey player.

“He had the athleticism and he had a great work ethic. Once we got him into the program and got him onto the ice every day, you could see his game start to grow, from a fourth-line type of worker/checker into a top, two-way player who could contribute offensively and defensively.”

The scholarship came after his freshman year and so did a leadership role, as Copp was named an alternate captain as a sophomore and wore the C as a junior.

“He was a kid that wanted to take charge in adverse situations,” Berenson said. “He was a good team player and a good teammate. He knew the game, he listened to the coaches and he knew there was a right way and a wrong way to play the game and he chose the right way.”

The memories he made at Michigan were plentiful, including a magical marker against another big rival.

“In my sophomore year, we beat Ohio State in overtime on the weekend of the Michigan-Ohio State football game,” said Copp. “It was the first Big Ten game ever and I scored the overtime winner. That was a big one.”

Andrew Copp went from being a walk-on as a freshman to being named captain in his junior season with the University of Michigan Wolverines.

After a strong junior season, Copp faced another tough decision.

Return to Michigan for his senior season to chase a national championship and finish his degree or turn pro and join the Jets?

“It was the hardest decision of my life to leave,” Copp said. “I wanted to (turn pro), but I wish I didn’t have to.”

Copp signed his entry-level contract and joined the Jets for the final few games of the 2014-15 regular season.

Once the Jets had nailed down a playoff spot, Copp was told he’d make his NHL debut in Game 82 against the Calgary Flames.

He chipped in an assist in his first NHL game and immediately showcased the smarts that would serve as the foundation for the next phase of his development.

“That was a long time ago. That first game against Calgary feels like ages ago,” Copp said. “It’s totally different. I was 20 years old; now I’m 25 and it feels like a lifetime ago.”

Copp still believes he made the right decision to leave Michigan after his junior season —- though he sometimes wishes he had savoured the college experience a little more.

“When you’re in the moment, you’re caught up in trying to make sure everything is perfect and I’m worried about keep getting better,” he said. “I never took a step back and said ‘Holy cow. I’m living the dream.’ I wish I would have enjoyed the social part of it more. I worked too hard and got too focused, at times. But my junior year was probably one of the best years of my life.”

Copp broke into the NHL as a fourth-liner, but his role has evolved.

He’s always been responsible defensively and he quickly worked his way onto the penalty-killing unit, but he’s also shown off his offensive game in recent years after clicking on a line with Adam Lowry.

“He’s one of those guys where he’s really had to work to get whatever opportunity that he’s had,” Lowry said. “It’s a cliché, but he lives and breathes hockey and you really see that. His confidence has grown every year, he’s handling the puck a lot more, he’s holding onto it and he’s so tenacious on it. He’s always been such a smart, two-way player and now you’re seeing those opportunities coming. He always seems to find himself in the right spots.”

Chemistry can be a difficult thing to measure, though Lowry and Copp definitely have it.

“He’s so dependable. I know exactly where he’s going to be and I know what to expect from him,” Lowry said. “Every night, he’s going to bring it and he does everything that he can to prepare himself to be the best that he can be.

“He’s a very driven individual and you can see that. This year, he’s started to be rewarded with some more points. His offensive numbers are starting to come. I’s really nice to see a guy like that flourish. We’re kind of attached at the hip on the ice and it’s nice to see a person like him get those opportunities.”

An injury to Bryan Little in the final game of the preseason got Copp bumped up to be the second-line centre with Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor on his wings.

There were enough scoring chances generated by the trio, but the production wasn’t quite there.

So, with the Jets struggling to find their identity, Copp was reunited with Lowry.

Not surprisingly, their line — with several different right-wingers — started to thrive and the Jets began to turn a corner.

“I would say he’s a competitor, someone who does it right and someone who will do anything for the team,” said Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin, who played with Copp for one season at Michigan. “He’s a lot more skilled than he gets credit for and I know he’s worked a lot on his game. He does little things that drive him because he wants to win. That’s very valuable for the Jets team. He’s someone who may not get as much credit as the big dogs, but he does a lot of good things.”

Those good things are evident to his opponents, his teammates and his coaching staff.

“Since the beginning, I’ve seen a guy that wants to get better every single day and wants to hone his craft,” said Jets centre Mark Scheifele. “He deserves everything that he’s getting and even more. He could be put in any role and succeed. He works hard, he does everything and he’s a guy that does it all. I love the way that he plays and what he brings to the table on a night-to-night basis.”

As this season has progressed, Copp was promoted to the second power-play unit, which is the latest step in the evolution of Copp’s expanding role.

“It’s nice for me, just in terms of getting more offensive looks, too,” Copp said. “My defensive game, that’s very well established at this point. But to continue to grow my game offensively is where I want this to go. To become a guy who is relied on for 40 points, one every other game, is not that outrageous.”

Earning the trust of his head coach at every level has been a constant for Copp and he did that quickly after joining the Jets.

“He’s always been positionally right,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “Right from the one game he played in his first year. Now he’s faster than he’s ever been and his hands are developing and he can make plays. Andrew has got a really unique brain for the game. He picks up an awful lot on the bench.

“Like all of these young guys, he’s a man now and he drives now. For a guy that maybe doesn’t skate like Kyle Connor, let’s say, he’s a quick player because he reads (the game) and he’s ahead of it. He and Adam, you can see it on our penalty kill, it’s not just offensive things. They’re anticipating where the puck goes. He plays a quick game. He’s added another step to his game, but his hands are developing, for sure. He’s got some confidence to make plays.”

Copp’s growing confidence and drive to succeed were developed over time and by overcoming obstacles.

“I never want to stop trying to get better and trying to grow my game,” he said. “Every year has kind of gone like this. Who knows what it’s going to look like in three years.”

(Top photo: Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)