Head coach Todd McLellan said as much a few weeks ago. Highly-touted prospect Nate Danielson’s promotion was as much about his individual performance as it was about the poor effort by other players on the Wings roster.
As Danielson, Emmitt Finnie, and the rest of the Red Wings young stars continue to make their mark, it will likely come at the expense of three other players on the roster.
Michael Rasmussen
Rasmussen has been at the forefront of Wings fans' minds for nearly a decade. Drafted ninth overall in 2017, Ras was initially considered a bust. However, he eventually carved out a role for himself on the Wings as a back end center and physical presence.
Unfortunately, Rasmussen has regressed over the past few seasons. So far this year, he has just five points in 18 games and is a minus-3.
The energy he used to bring with his physicality is now vacant in most games. He is also prone to lapses in judgement and effort, which has moved him down the lineup and even as a healthy scratch some nights.
With his contract three years remaining at $3.2 million per year), Rasmussen is not an intriguing asset on the trade market. He will likely remain at the bottom of the lineup, a healthy scratch, or in Grand Rapids.
Jonatan Berggren and Elmer Soderblom
Entering this season, it looked like this was Berggren and Soderblom’s final shot at becoming fixtures in the Red Wings lineup. Both showed flashes of brilliance, amidst bouts of inconsistency, in previous seasons and Detroit’s opening on the top line wing seemed to be theirs for the taking.
Unfortunately for them, they have so far remained inconsistent with Finnie and Danielson already passing them in the pecking order and more prospects hot on their trails.
Soderblom has just one point in 11 games. Berggren has been better with six points in 12 games, but still does not have the full trust of the coaching staff. Both have remained healthy scratches more times than not.
Although both have been disappointing, they still have trade value due to their age and potential. Berggren especially seems to have a market if the Wings choose to deal him. They could be packaged together, along with draft picks, to bring in that top defenseman or forward Wings fans have been begging for.
It is also worth mentioning that J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp could also see their roles diminished in favor of Danielson and other prospects. Both have still been serviceable enough that they will likely remain in the lineup in some capacity. Their hefty contracts make them difficult to trade as well.
For the Red Wings, the possibilities that the youth movement provide are endless. Danielson and Finnie's continued development and success will mold the team in the years to come.