Preview: Red Wings return home for matinee against Tampa Bay

The Detroit Red Wings return home after a matinee affair against the Tampa Bay Lightning.  The Lightning are on a three game losing streak and are 4-6-0 over the last 10 games.

Game time is 12:30 PM ET at LCA in Detroit, MI.

Player Profile: Michael Rasmussen

On Thursday, Michael Rasmussen was moved up to the top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.  Even though the trio were held scoreless and were a combined -5 on the night, the line had numerous scoring chances and the line combined for 11 shots on goal.  Hopefully Rasmussen is given at least a few games on the Larkin line to see if they can turn the energy from Thursday into chemistry on the scoresheet.

Rasmussen was drafted 9th overall by the Red Wings in the 2017 draft.  Similar to most Top 10 picks, expectations were high, and the growing pains of playing in the best league in the world have been difficult.

In 62 games this year, Rasmussen has scored eight goals, 11 assists, 19 points, and a -23 rating.  These statistics are almost identical to the stats Rasmussen accumulated during his rookie season three years ago.  In three seasons of NHL hockey, Rasmussen has now played 164 games, and has scored 19 goals, 30 assists, 49 points, and a -36 rating.

Rasmussen is currently in the first year of a three-year deal that pays his $1.46M annually.

Red Wings Notes

• Detroit are currently 5th in the Atlantic Division with a 26-31-7 record
• The Red Wings are currently 27th in PP (17.8%) and 31st in PK (73.8%)
• Dylan Larkin leads Detroit with 27 goals and 61 points in 59 games
• Moritz Seider leads the Red Wings with 37 assists in 64 games
• Seider leads all Detroit defensemen in scoring with 42 points
• Lucas Raymond remains 2nd in NHL rookie scoring with 48 points in 64 games
• Defenseman Marc Staal continues to lead the Red Wings with a +9 rating
• Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to start and has a 17-19-6 record, 3.18 GAA, a .904 SV%, and two SO in 47 games
• Calvin Pickard has been recalled as an emergency replacement for Thomas Greiss who was injured in a collision Thursday night against the Islanders
• Filip Zadina (illness) and Marc Staal (undisclosed) are game time decisions today

Detroit Projected Lineup

Forwards

Tyler Bertuzzi – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

Jakub Vrana – Joe Veleno – Sam Gagner

Adam Erne – Pius Suter – Oskar Sundqvist

Taro Hirose – Chase Pearson – Filip Zadina

Defensemen

Jordan Oesterle – Moritz Seider

Marc Staal – Filip Hronek

Jake Walman – Gustav Lindstrom

Goaltenders

Alex Nedeljkovic (starter)

Calvin Pickard

Scratched: Olli Juolevi

Injured: Robby Fabbri (lower body), Carter Rowney (lower body), Mitchell Stephens (lower body), Danny DeKeyser (upper body), Givani Smith (undisclosed), Thomas Greiss (upper body), Michael Rasmussen (undisclosed)

Lightning Notes

• Tampa Bay are currently 4th in the Atlantic Division with a 39-18-6 record
• The Lightning special teams are currently 18th in PP (19.9%) and 12th in PK (80.5%)
• Steven Stamkos leads Tampa Bay with 28 goals and 67 points in 62 games
• Victor Hedman leads the Lightning with 45 assists in 63 games
• Hedman leads all Tampa Bay defensemen in scoring with 62 points
• Pierre-Edouard Bellemare leads all Lightning players with a +21 rating
• Andrej Vasilevskiy is expected to start and has a 32-14-4 record, 2.39 GAA, a .920 SV% and two SO in 50 games

Tampa Bay Projected Lineup

Forwards

Ondrej Palat – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov

Alex Killorn – Steven Stamkos – Brandon Hagel

Ross Colton – Anthony Cirelli – Nick Paul

Patrick Maroon – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Corey Perry

Defensemen

Victor Hedman – Jan Rutta

Mikhail Sergachev – Erik Cernak

Ryan McDonagh – Zach Bogosian

Goaltenders

Andrej Vasilevskiy (starting)

Brian Elliott

Scratched: Cal Foote

Injured: Ryan McDonagh (undisclosed)