On Tuesday, Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings reached an agreement with forward Michael Rasmussen on a four-year contract extension worth an average of $3.2 million per season.
Rasmussen, aged 24, hasn’t quite fulfilled the offensive center potential that the Detroit Red Wings envisioned when they selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Level Draft. Standing tall at 6-foot-6, the forward was anticipated to be a top-nine player with the capability of scoring 20-25 goals, based on his performance in the Western Hockey League with the Tri-City Americans.
Throughout his three-year junior career, Rasmussen achieved consecutive seasons of 30-plus goals, accumulating 81 goals and 157 points in 161 games. He particularly shone during the WHL playoffs in 2017-18, recording 16 goals and 33 points in just 14 games.
Yes, I recall that after being drafted by Ken Holland and the Detroit Red Wings, the organization opted to keep Michael Rasmussen in Detroit as a 19-year-old instead of sending him back to junior for his final season.
Rasmussen had a strong showing at camp for the Red Wings, and his impressive performance during the WHL playoffs led Holland to believe that he would benefit more from staying in Detroit rather than returning to junior.
However, it presented a dilemma for Detroit because Rasmussen had outgrown the junior level but couldn’t be assigned to the AHL due to his junior eligibility. Thus, Detroit had to decide whether to keep him on the NHL roster or send him back to junior.
While Rasmussen faced some challenges in his first year, he managed to score eight goals and 18 points as a rookie while averaging just over 12 minutes per game. He spent most of the subsequent season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL before becoming a regular with the Red Wings in 2020-21 at the age of 21.
The Detroit Red Wings have inked Michael Rasmussen to a four-year contract extension. While he may not be lighting up the scoreboard as anticipated for a top-ten draft pick, Rasmussen is making significant contributions to the team in various capacities.
He leads all Red Wings forwards with a plus-11 rating this season and is frequently deployed on the shutdown line, tasked with neutralizing opponents’ top lines. Additionally, his versatility allows him to seamlessly transition between center and wing positions.
Recently, he’s been elevated to the top line alongside captain Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, a change that came after two consecutive losses on a road trip. The adjustment proved fruitful as the Red Wings secured back-to-back victories to close out the trip.
Rasmussen is on track for a career-high 16 goals this season, having tallied 11 goals and 23 points in 55 games so far. Despite a slightly lower points-per-60-minutes rate compared to last year, his shooting percentage this season stands at a career-best 14.9%. Although he may not have reached the offensive expectations initially set for him, Rasmussen’s contributions extend beyond scoring.
He plays a key role on the penalty kill, contributing to the team’s impressive 82% success rate, ranking eighth in the league. Utilizing his size and reach effectively, he excels in puck protection and forechecking, though there’s room for improvement in his net-driving abilities.
Overall, the contract extension appears to benefit both parties. With pending restricted free agents like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond to consider, as well as the potential re-signing of forward Patrick Kane, the Red Wings will rely on players like Rasmussen and pending RFA Joe Veleno for cost-effective depth production.
