Extending their playoff drought to 10 years this season, there are plenty of changes expected for the Detroit Red Wings this summer, particularly to the team’s bottom-six. Outside of letting a few of their pending unrestricted free agents walk, Max Bultman of The Athletic argues that J.T. Compher and Michael Rasmussen are candidates to be traded this summer.
Compher, 31, will be entering year four of a five-year, $25.5MM contract signed in Detroit ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. The Red Wings had already signed Andrew Copp the previous offseason, but he hadn’t (and still hasn’t by many metrics) become the second-line center that Detroit believed he would be.
At the time, the thought process was that Compher would continue his upward trajectory. He was coming off a solid year with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 17 goals and 52 points in 82 games with a 48.8% success rate in the faceoff dot. Some will argue that since the Avalanche lost Nazem Kadri the year before, Compher was moved to the top six in Colorado based on circumstance and benefited from having stronger wingers next to him.
Nevertheless, that’s not necessarily accurate. The Avalanche faced numerous injuries during the 2022-23 season, leading to a fluid lineup on most nights. Still, Compher spent most of the year next to Andrew Cogliano and Logan O’Connor, not necessarily All-Star candidates.
He had a strong start to his tenure in Detroit, scoring 19 goals and 48 points in 77 games with a -5 rating, averaging 19:23 of ice time. However, since then, he has been absent on most nights, scoring 22 goals and 60 points in 158 games with a -20 rating, averaging 16:09 of ice time. He has a relatively solid 48.0% faceoff rate in that stretch, and starts most of his shifts in the defensive zone.
Meanwhile, Rasmussen has had a similar trajectory. He topped out with a 13-goal, 33-point performance in 75 games during the 2023-24 season, but hasn’t gotten close since. In the last two years, the former ninth overall selection has registered 17 goals and 35 points in 141 games, usually playing on Detroit’s third line.
Standing at 6’6″, 222 lbs, Rasmussen is definitely a big body to have toward the bottom of the forward corps, but has not turned into the reliable power forward the Red Wings thought he would become when they drafted him. He doesn’t have the defensive metrics to warrant him playing in big situations, and if he isn’t scoring 15-20 goals a year, there’s no real point to having him in the lineup on a nightly basis. Like Compher, Rasmussen is signed for the next two years, albeit for a smaller $3.2MM cap hit.
As to what the Red Wings will target is anyone’s guess. Compher does have some trade protection (10-team no-trade list), but it’s not an insurmountable hurdle. If Detroit’s primary goal is to unload contracts and replace them with younger players, the Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, and Vancouver Canucks may be interested in enhancing their bottom-six in the short term. However, the Devils would face significant financial constraints.
Additionally, the Red Wings could package both in a larger trade, along with other assets such as a prospect or two and their 2027 first-round pick, for a much larger splash. It’s not uncommon for teams to attach a veteran (Compher), a flyer (Rasmussen), and a prospect plus draft capital to get a trade over the line.
The Wings are clearly afraid to fire Yzerman.
If you mean by trading, including a draft pick as enticement to take a salary, sure they might be traded. But Compher is a $2.5-3M player with a $5M+ salary and Rasmussen just scored 14 pts in 64 games as an NHL center. Anything can happen, but not seeing the value there for a competing team.
My biggest argument against that would be the rising salary cap. A $3MM salary when Compher signed his deal would have been around 3.6% of the salary cap. Next season, Compher’s deal will drop to around 4.9% before dropping to 4.4% in the final year, so not radically different by any stretch. I think it’s far likelier that the Red Wings would just eat $1MM/year, which would drop Compher to 3.9% next season and 3.6% in 2027-28. Detroit has a ton of cap space, so it’s hard to imagine Yzerman attaching a pick to open up inconsequential space.
Yes, they could trade Compher, but that would require another team wanting to trade for him while giving up assets to do so.
Ahahahaha
A ‘trade’ means getting an NHL player back. If SY can rid himself of Compher (1/2 salary retained) for a 3rd round draft pick – and Raz and a middle prospect for similar – DRW will be much looser to bring up prospects – OR – sign lower cost UFA’s to fill. There are some very good UFA’s out there that few people have heard of or know about.
“A”trade” means getting an nhl player back” SY traded Wallman with a 2nd rd pick to SJS for nothing
Not sure that I see a team wanting to trade for Compher @ 50% for a 3rd. Even so, I’m not sure I’d consider that as a W for the wings.
Signing lower cost UFAs isn’t what DET needs to do. They’re not going anywhere until they add another high impact C .
They really hoped Kasper’d become a formidable 2nd line C. Sophomore slump got in the way((( A bunch of players performed well below their ceiling this season yet still they were in the mix to qualify in a cutthroat eastern conference right up until the end. None of the Yzerman critics talk about these facts. Also none of the “quick retool” teams were able to even sniff the SC. Nobodys talking abt it either. What’s on SY really is his failure to bring in/retain relatively cheap offensive players (Ghostisbehere). Detroit also lacks a real grind line. Too many passengers on board. But if you take a step back and look at the big picture SY was preaching patience and slow and gradual internal rebuild from day one. He’s been pretty consistent on this. Yes, he made mistakes here and there with FAs and committing to players like Rasmussen but overall it’s been a gradual movement forward. SY is gonna stay as the GM of the Red Wings. Unfortunately for @Wilf
If Yzerman gets fired, Does he have to give back his key to the city?
Wings will be lucky if they don’t have to attach a 1st to rid themselves of Compher and Rasmussen. Compher had 22 hits in 82 games. He shouldn’t even have a uniform. He adds nothing.
Morgan Rielly for Compher and a 2nd
Once again Yzerman threw his players under the bus at his end of the year presser. He clearly is still holding a grudge against Larkin for correctly calling him out at last years trade deadline for not doing enough. And what Larkin said wasn’t really that bad. But Yzerman has such thin skin that he won’t let it go.
His continued failure to land a legitimate top two center is problematic. No question in my mind the reason he hasn’t, is because teams asked for Edvinsson and Yzerman views him as untouchable. Edvinsson is a good young top four d-man but it’s not like he’s a star or anything. Robert Thomas is the guy they need.
His presser last year was really unbelievable. He comes across as an autocrat. Apparently you’re not allowed to question him at all. He knows best and that’s it.
Any other guy not named Yzerman would have been fired after year three. Maybe year four at most. He’s the Ilitch’s adopted son.
U sir seem qualified to write articles for ppl who want to pretend they understand stuff. Might be a good idea to submit your resume to such credible institutions like CNN or New York Times
It never fails to amuse me every single time ppl call for smbd to get fired. @Wilf is golden. Also muted me GOAT!
Wilf mutes everyone. As do a bunch of the other thin-skinners that infest this site. Conflicting opinions and reality intimidate them. One of Wilf’s most recent gems: early this season he babbled that Steven Stamkos had nothing left in the tank, then the guy proceeded to rip of a 42 goal/66 point season. Wilf has gone silent on the topic.
Wings are dancing on the razor’s edge. I agree with the Compher Rasmussen trades but concerned for what may be obtained in return. Both seem to phone it in on many games. Something has definitely gone off the rails with Kasper, hopefully he can regain his potential otherwise he could also become a pawn looking for a solid trade for some proven talent.
One thing is for sure, Steve is having to earn his money, I wouldn’t want the job he has.