When the Detroit Red Wings drafted Michael Rasmussen in 2017, the general impression was that he'd become the spiritual successor to Tomas Holmstrom. Elite Prospects praised him on his net front presence. Draft analysts loved his 6'6" frame and ability to get to the net. It's been eight years since Rasmussen donned the Winged Wheel. In that time, he's managed just 154 career points in 445 games.
This season, Rasmussen has only 14 points in 55 games and is projected to earn his lowest points-per-game in his career. It appears the Red Wings may already have a successor for his role in Grand Rapids, as well. Why, then, would head coach Todd McLellan give Rasmussen top line minutes alongside Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane?
How we'll lineup this afternoon ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/LBdcWf9ehO
March 2, 2026The answer comes in the form of the looming trade deadline and McLellan's emphasis on change.
McLellan's comments imply change for Red Wings
The Red Wings suffered a crushing 5-2 defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes at the end of February. When asked what needs to change, McLellan left nothing to nuance. "We have some guys right now that are just jerseys. They're skating around, eating up minutes and not doing much else. We need more. If you're not forechecking and being physical, what are you doing?"
McLellan's incindeary remarks could apply to any number of players. Having said that, Rasmussen's ice time has taken a hit over the last few weeks. Since December, the towering forward's time has gone down from around 14-16 minutes per game to 10-12 minutes. In addition, he's taken on a role as a bottom line checking foward alongside players like J.T. Compher and Elmer Soderblom. His low production, coupled with McLellan's comments, could be more than just coincidence.
With that in mind, Detroit's current deployment of Rasmussen on the team's top line could be one of two things. On one hand, McLellan might see this as a way to give Rasmussen an extra jolt in hopes of spurning his confidence. On the other, the Red Wings could very well be showcasing Rasmussen as a potential trade option as the deadline approaches. The Red Wings have already been linked to several trades over the last few days. It wouldn't be a shock to hear about Rasmussen's name getting brought up in conversations.
Rasmussen's trade value
The elephant in the room, however, is that the return on Rasmussen may be middling at best. As mentioned earlier, Rasmussen is scoring at the lowest points-per-game rate in his career. His contract, which runs at $3.2 million per season, has two additional years left. What, then, could the Red Wings expect to get in exchange?
Unfortunately, this sort of contract - and the lack of production on Rasmussen's end - won't inspire many suitors. If the Red Wings truly do hope to move on from him, they might need to offer a pick swap in exchange. In addition, the team may ask the Red Wings to retain a portion of Rasmussen's salary.
Still, Rasmussen is 26 years old. While he never evolved into the Tomas Holmstrom archetype, he's still a capable NHL forward in his own right. Teams in need of depth scoring may give him a look to see if he's a good fit.