On Friday, the Detroit Red Wings activated Nate Danielson, who may have wound up with the big club if it wasn't for a preseason injury that kept him out of action for an extended period of time. Danielson showed promise during the 2024-25 season, ending his campaign in Grand Rapids with 39 points and 12 goals across 71 games, foreshadowing his successful preseason before the injury.
If Danielson returns to form quickly, Michael Rasmussen could be on his way out, either through a trade for perhaps a late draft pick to get him off the Wings' hands or via waivers. Rasmussen, who has just 142 points and 61 goals in 398 NHL games, has yet to break out, and now, patience could be wearing thin.
Through his first six years with the Red Wings, Rasmussen never put up more than 33 points in a single season, which came in 2023-24. He hit his career-high in goals scored two years prior in 2021-22, with 15, showcasing pedestrian production for a former ninth-overall pick.
Nate Danielson could eventually nudge Michael Rasmussen out of the lineup
How bad has it gotten for Rasmussen this season? Right now, he has just two points and a goal in eight games, to go with a minus-4. Rasmussen has mainly seen between 10 and 12 minutes per game, with his highest time on ice coming in the Red Wings' losses to the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders, when he snagged 14:04 and 12:25, respectively.
While you can't put all the blame on Rasmussen, given the Red Wings' poor play on Wednesday and Thursday, it's also clear that he did nothing to help them.
It might be a matter of time before Nate Danielson sees time in Detroit
Danielson, however, won't be ready immediately for the big club, since he would need a good six games, if not more, to condition himself for regular-season play. But if he's playing good, consistent hockey in Grand Rapids, and if Rasmussen continues to struggle in Detroit, and if the Red Wings can stay relevant, Steve Yzerman won't hesitate.
The clock is ticking for Rasmussen, but he still has enough time to get it together in Detroit. He has a hitter's mentality, and for games against the league's more physical teams and when the sense of urgency rises, that's golden. But he needs to do a better job contributing more offensively and having more compete in his game.
Still, sending Rasmussen elsewhere could be a foregone conclusion, especially after recent performances, that Yzerman could be looking for a replacement. And that replacement may be brewing in Grand Rapids.