Few players on the Detroit Red Wings lived up to expectations. Even fewer frustrated the fanbase quite like Michael Rasmussen.
Two years ago, the former 2017 first round pick signed a four-year contract. At that time, Rasmussen was 24 and in the midst of his best season with 33 points in 75 games. While he wasn't the net-front presence the Red Wings fans had hoped he'd become, things were still optimistic.
Now, two seasons later, he's one of the top buyout candidates for the Red Wings. He looks disinterested, disengaged and nothing short of checked out every time he sets foot on the ice.
In short, he has failed thus far to live up to his expecatations.
What happened to Michael Rasmussen?
FIrst, let's take a look at Rasmussen's ice time over the last three seasons:
Season | Time on Ice |
|---|---|
2023-24 | 15:11 |
2024-25 | 13:25 |
2025-26 | 12:39 |
Over the course of three seasons, Rasmussen's deployment has dropped precipitously by nearly three minutes -- a 20 percent dip. To be fair, the Red Wings have measurably improved across the board since 2023-24, which likely played a part in his reduced ice time. That said, Rasmussen did very little to earn any favors from management. Where he once looked like a depth threat on the ice, he's now a complete non-factor.
Scoring chances across both ends of the ice stifle when he's around. As far as defensive forwards go, that isn't a bad thing. The problem is that the Red Wings have a glut of defensive forwards. Mason Appleton was brought in to serve as the defense-first threat and does so for $300,000 a year cheaper.
“He plays a big part of our team and can do a lot of different things,” teammate J.T. Compher said regarding Rasmussen's extension. “When he’s on and using his body and protecting pucks, he can be a dominant player out there."
The problem is that Rasmussen is rarely "on" anymore. He isn't using his body. While he's still a capable shot blocker, having blocked 63 shots this season, there are a multitude of players that block better than Rasmussen. In 64 games this season, Rasmussen's offense was a non-factor. He put up just 14 points -- the lowest pace in his career.
The quesiton remains: what does Michael Rasmussen bring to the table that the Red Wings can't find in another player?
A mutual breakup would be good for Rasmussen, Red Wings
There comes a time in every rebuild where difficult decisions have to be made. For some, it involves trading away a piece of the core. For others, it means bidding farewell to long-time faces of the organization. Rasmussen has 454 career NHL games with the Red Wings. Despite his abysmal season, he's still a productive player in his own right.
Maybe the best thing for both Rasmussen and the Red Wings is a mutual parting of ways.
There's a chance that Rasmussen, like Elmer Soderblom, can find a better opportunity elsewhere. Perhaps more ice time is what Rasmussen needs to be successful. Unfortunately, he won't find it in Detroit. Any hope of salvaging a productive scoring forward has been lost over the last three seasons. Whether by trade or buyout, it might be time for both parties to move on from each other.
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