Detroit Red Wings: Michael Rasmussen Continues to gain Confidence

It is was fairly evident that Michael Rasmussen started the season a bit tentatively. You can see the 19-year-old rookie is beginning to find his stride with the Detroit Red Wings.

With two goals and an assist in his last three games, it is imperative Michael Rasmussen is gaining confidence. Perhaps the rookie has become a bit more comfortable since the Detroit Red Wings announced they were keeping him here in Motown rather than sending him back to junior. Before the ten game window, the decision was very much in limbo.

Ras was a healthy scratch and was struggling to produce. He was getting fourth line type minutes and wasn’t getting many scoring chances on his power-play time. It all seemed to change over the last three games.

In back to back games Ras buried power-play goals. Both goals against Columbus and New Jersey were fairly tight to the target. He made a living in front of the net in junior. His big 6’6 frame although lankier than thick poses as a great net-front presence. He has gifted enough hands to redirect point shots and has enough touch around the net to find some garbage left behind from rebounds to make them count.

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Also, I wonder if part of this success has come by default. Blashill wasn’t precisely rolling Rasmussen out onto the ice with confidence. He was playing the young forward sparingly around 10-12 minutes a night. I understand a player needs to earn his time, but again I would rather see Rasmussen pick up more shifts over guys like Abdelkader and de La Rose.

I get it, a wrong time to bring those two forwards up being that they have both scored recently. Abdelkader was actually terrific in the New Jersey game and credit to Blashill for noticing it and continuing to roll him out there. However, Rasmussen has a much higher scoring ceiling.

I say “success by default” because Rasmussen has seen a boost in ice-time in the absence of Andreas Athanasiou, Thomas Vanek, and Frans Nielsen. The trio was skating as a unit, and they have all been sidelined with various injuries. Ras has played a more prominent role on the power-play and has delivered.

Saturday evening his head coach rolled him out over 17 minutes and Ras although not being able to score extended his mini point streak to three games recording an assist. He also did not appear like he was a liability on the ice defensively.

dark. Next. Roundtable Discussion of Jeff Blashill

It is apparent Rasmussen is gaining confidence and continues to find his scoring stride. Expect Jeff Blashill to continue to roll Rasmussen 15 or so minutes a night even when the injured troops start to return to the lineup.

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