The Detroit Red Wings’ margin for error keeps shrinking. Ahead of Saturday night’s matchup in Dallas against the Stars, it’s now being reported that forward Michael Rasmussen will be unavailable, another blow for a team already operating without captain Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, who had been moonlighting as an NHL No. 2 center this season for the next two weeks.
In a season that’s once again featured a frustrating March, the Red Wings can ill-afford to lose any more capable NHL centers, even ones whose value is more functional than flashy.
Todd Mclellan told us in Dallas that Michael Rasmussen is out a week at least and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is out day-to-day. "We continue to take it on the chin a little bit upfront. But the recalls, the guys that have come in, have actually provided us with some energy." https://t.co/u30oRQ2tq9
— Taylor Baird (@taylordbaird) March 14, 2026
Rasmussen, 26, is a depth piece who floats between wing and center, and that versatility matters more than ever with Detroit’s center group suddenly depleted. With Larkin and Copp sidelined, head coach Todd McLellan was expected to lean harder on Rasmussen and J.T. Compher to stabilize the middle of the lineup, ideally letting the club’s star wingers, including Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat, do what they do best without the entire load shifting to the perimeter.
It’s been well documented by various authors at Octopus Thower that opinions on the former No. 9 overall pick seldom vary, and his counting numbers won’t change many minds: Rasmussen has six goals and 14 points in 61 games this season. He’s primarily a bottom-six, defensive-minded, penalty-killing forward, and his even-strength play has been a problem; his even-strength Corsi For percentage sits at 44.4%, and his minus-4.8 relative Corsi For at five-on-five is the second-worst rating of his career.
The Red Wings' options down the middle remain thin
The bigger issue is that Detroit is simply running out of able-bodied options to patch the lineup. It’s worth noting that both Nate Danielson and Amadeus Lombardi are currently injured in Grand Rapids, thinning the list of potential call-ups who could credibly take on minutes down the middle.
And just when it felt like the bad-news cycle might pause, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is also considered day-to-day. If he’s able to go Saturday, his skill set is the type Detroit could use more of right now: a physical presence with an electric shot who should be in line for an increased role over the next couple of weeks as the Red Wings limp toward the finish line. Brandsegg-Nygard has appeared in 12 games with Detroit this season, recording one assist. In Grand Rapids, he has 16 goals and 37 points in 50 games.
Detroit has recalled John Leonard from the Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. The 27-year-old has played nine games with the Red Wings this season, recording two goals and four points.
He’s also had a fantastic year in the AHL, scoring 27 goals and 41 points in just 34 games, production that, at minimum, gives Detroit another credible forward, albeit a winger, while the center depth chart is held together with duct tape.