The Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Michael Rasmussen to a four-year, $12.8MM contract extension with an annual average value (AAV) of $3.2MM. CapFriendly reports that the deal breaks down as follows:
2024-25: $2.05MM salary, $500k signing bonus
2025-26: $2.95MM salary
2026-27: $3.65MM salary
2027-28: $3.65MM salary
Rasmussen has scored 11 goals and 23 points in 55 games this season, on pace to score a career-high 34 points through 82 games. He’s been with the Red Wings organization for his entire career, getting drafted by the team with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. He’s the second player from that year’s Top 10 to earn a long-term extension this season, with 10th-overall selection Owen Tippett signing an eight-year extension with the Philadelphia Flyers in January.
Rasmussen has found a new groove this season, rotating onto the top line with Dylan Larkin and Patrick Kane. It’s been an exciting bounce back from a knee injury that ended Rasmussen’s 2022-23 season in early March. He played in 56 games prior to the injury, netting 10 goals and 29 points. Rasmussen also scored 15 goals in the prior season, showing his ability to be a difference-maker when given the opportunity. All of that progress has led Rasmussen to now play the most ice time of his career, averaging 15:10 this season. His next step will be reinforcing his role on the team’s power-play, where he held a consistent spot in each of the last two seasons but has yet to appear on this year. Rasmussen managed four power-play goals in his rookie season of 2018-19 but has since failed to score on the man-advantage at all – managing just five power-play assists since the 2020-21 season. The Red Wings’ power-play is tied with the Vancouver Canucks for 10th-best in the league this season, with a 23.2 percent success rate.
Excellent. Now hopefully next they try and sign Sprong for a few years…
Exactly. So many things I don’t know about how his negotiations (if any) with the Kraken went, but his departure definitely left a hole in last year’s scoring army that the kraken failed to fill. He modestly made every shot the team took more significant. Then he signed for 2M elsewhere. That better not have been the number he insisted on in Seattle. So fun watching that guy light the lamp.
Feels like this article focusing on Rasmussen’s PP potential/experience is a little odd, considering that his value to the team is tied to his even strength and PK abilities. Seems like any of these things could/should have been mentioned:
1) His value comes in his positional versatility, able to play on either wing or his traditional C spot. He has one of the best 5v5 expected goals rates on the team this year as well.
2) He was PP2 his Rookie year, quite frankly,because that team was one of the worst teams in the NHL and DET had NO one to play in front of the net. Now not only does DET have more talent, they use a different PP style (more ppint-firward than front of net). The team has WAY more talent now, and guys like Perron on PP2 and Raymond on PP1 are better fits.
3) Rasmussen’s #1 skill outside of his flexibility to play up and down the lineup is on the PK. He is the team’s #1 PK and #1 centerman for defensive zone draws.
Seems like any or all of those 3 are more important to note than bringing up his “0 PP Goals”.