Michael Rasmussen is entering another Red Wings training camp, but this one feels different. He's no longer the 2017 first-round prospect Detroit has been patiently waiting to develop.
He's 27, has played 454 career NHL games, and the Red Wings have a growing collection of younger forwards pushing toward roles on the big club. Rasmussen is on the Red Wings' current camp competing against the likes of Nate Danielson , Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Carter Mazur and Carter Bear .
For most of Rasmussen's career, the question surrounding the towering 6-foot-6, 222-pound forward has been when, or whether, he would become the player the Red Wings envisioned when they selected him in the first round almost ten years ago. Now the question that is being asked is how much longer will they wait?
How much untapped upside remains at this point? The Red Wings aren't the same organization Rasmussen made his NHL debut with in 2018. They have missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, Steve Yzerman has moved out of the GM position and into an advisory role, and the franchise is searching for its next hockey operations leader. That certainly creates uncertainty for players inherited by the next regime.
The Red Wings finally have younger players who need NHL opportunities, and roster spots have to come from somewhere. That's not saying players like Danielson, Brandsegg-Nygard, Mazur and Bear are taking Rasmussen's job, but at some point the Red Wings have to decide if they want to continue to stick it out or cut bait with Rasmussen.
What does Rasmussen have to bring to the table in order to prove his salt? More consistent offense for starters.
Rasmussen's point total has decreased significantly the last two seasons. According to Michael Whitaker of The Hockey News , head coach Todd McLellan believes Rasmussen can play a huge role for the Red Wings in 2026-27. "He's a big man and can hold on to pucks well, and he can play heavy along the boards," McLellan said. "That's what we're asking everyone to do."
The Red Wings need players who can produce. Dylan Larkin 's future is uncertain, veterans have departed and younger players are being injected into the team.
This could potentially be Rasmussen's last opportunity to establish himself as a significant piece of the Red Wings' puzzle before they start making harder choices. The window has almost closed for Rasmussen to justify being the ninth pick of the 2017 draft.
What he may have to prove now is why the next version of the Red Wings should still have a place for him.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/red-wings/onsi as Is This the Last Hurrah for Detroit Red Wings' Michael Rasmussen? .
