Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan wants forward Michael Rasmussen to make the most of his fresh opportunity with the 2026-27 NHL campaign right around the corner.
While it appeared Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen was starting to come into his own, a broken kneecap suffered in February 2023 brought his season to an early end.
He followed that up by setting a career high with 33 points (13G, 20A) during the 2023-24 campaign, but his offensive production has stagnated since then.
After recording just six goals and eight assists in 64 games during the 2025-26 season, the Red Wings will be looking for Rasmussen to use his size in a meaningful way for a team that is already struggling to score goals.
"He's a big man and can hold on to pucks well, and he can play heavy along the boards," said coach Todd McLellan. "That's what we're asking everyone to do."
“The abrasiveness and heaviness; he'll have to be a good penalty killer for us to have success," he continued.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Consistent offensive production has never been Rasmussen's forte since the Red Wings selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He has yet to surpass the 33 points he recorded in 2023-24, tallying 21 and 14 points over the past two seasons, respectively.
He's also the second-longest-tenured current member of the Red Wings behind Dylan Larkin, who has yet to take the ice during training camp after suffering an upper-body injury while training.
At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Rasmussen possesses the kind of size that most coaches would love to have on their teams.
If he isn't going to find himself on the scoresheet more consistently, Rasmussen must use his size in the dirty areas of the ice to make an impact, while also contributing on the penalty kill.
According to McLellan, Rasmussen must also take on more of a leadership role in Larkin's absence.
"He and Dylan are the two senior-serving Red Wings, and Dylan isn't in the lineup," McLellan said. "He'll have to provide leadership, and there are a lot of things that he can bring to the table."
With the new campaign on the horizon, it's a chance for Rasmussen to start anew and make Red Wings fans think less about the notable players they could have selected during that fateful Draft.
"He's got a fresh start to a new season; he's smart enough and mature enough to understand that," McLellan said. "He's just gotta capture it and stay confident, and that comes through in his play."
Rasmussen is under contract for two more seasons with a $3.2 million cap hit.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
