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Michael Rasmussen

Ducks’ Trevor Zegras Suspended Three Games

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The league’s Department of Player Safety announced today they’ve suspended Ducks center Trevor Zegras for three games for interference against Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen. Zegras will remain on Anaheim’s active roster while serving the suspension and can return to the lineup on March 4 against the Oilers.

It’s the first suspension of Zegras’ five-year, 245-game career and the second incident that required any sort of supplemental discipline. He was fined $1.5K back in November 2022 for slashing then-Sharks defenseman Matt Benning.

This infraction, however, was far more egregious. The incident occurred late in the second period of last night’s overtime loss, during which Zegras laid a late hit that he left his feet to deliver, forcing his shoulder into Rasmussen’s head. Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said Rasmussen has since been listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and isn’t traveling with the team for their game against the Wild tomorrow. On-ice officials failed to assess a penalty to Zegras on the play.

The most pertinent part of the league’s video explanation is transcribed here:

Players who are not in possession of the puck are never eligible to be checked. However, the intereference rule provides a brief window where the player who initiates the check while his opponent is in possession of the puck may finish the hit. This is not such a play. Here, Zegras begins his hitting motion after Zegras releases the puck, and contact is made outside the window where a check may be legally finished. In addition to the lateness, what causes this hit to rise to the level of supplemental discipline is the significant head contact on this play combined with the force. 

It’s hard to disagree with DoPS’ description of the play, although a three-game ban could be seen as steep for a first-time offender. It comes amid another injury-plagued and difficult offensive season for the 23-year-old, who has 7-9–16 through 34 games – a 17-goal, 39-point pace over 82 games. That’s a far cry from the back-to-back 60-point campaigns he put up leading into the 2023 offseason when he landed a three-year, $17.25MM deal after months on the RFA market. So far, it’s been a prudent move from general manager Pat Verbeek to hold out for a lower cap hit than expected for a player who finished second in Calder Trophy voting in 2022.

Zegras has looked better since returning from right knee surgery last month. Since coming off injured reserve, he has six points in 10 games, an even rating, and an average ice time of 17:15 per night. It’s not world-beating, but certainly a step in the right direction for the 6’0″ center, who again finds himself in trade rumors ahead of the March 7 deadline.

Without Zegras, Anaheim doesn’t have a healthy extra forward for tomorrow’s road game in Buffalo. They don’t have an open roster spot and would need to make a corresponding transaction to get one up from AHL San Diego.

East Notes: Crosby, Kane, Rasmussen, Zub, MacEwen

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History was made in last night’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Utah Hockey Club. Sidney Crosby, the Penguins captain and franchise icon, became the 21st player in NHL history to record 600 goals in his career.

Given that Crosby is still signed for two more years beyond this season in Pittsburgh, it’s a guarantee he will finish much higher than 21st on the all-time goal list. Should he continue to average between 30-40 goals a season, avoid injury, and retire after his extension, Crosby could finish his career 12th all-time in goals and potentially catch another franchise legend Mario Lemieux at 690.

It’s another impressive milestone in arguably the best career of the salary cap era. Crosby is already top-10 in the all-time points list and should pass the likes of Joe Sakic, Lemieux, and Steve Yzerman before he finally decides to hang up his skates.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Detroit Red Wings may be light up front in tomorrow night’s contest against the New York Islanders. Ansar Khan of MLive reported this morning that forwards Patrick Kane and Michael Rasmussen weren’t on the ice for practice. Rasmussen’s absence is likely tied to the body check received from Boston Bruins’ forward Mark Kastelic in last night’s loss. There should be more context regarding Kane’s absence after the practice.
  • TSN Ottawa reported this morning that the Ottawa Senators are without defenseman Artem Zub and forward Zack MacEwen at practice. No additional context was provided regarding the availability of either player for Ottawa’s game tomorrow night against the Calgary Flames. Still, it likely explains the Senators’ call-up of forward Zack Ostapchuk a few hours ago.

Atlantic Notes: Sabres, Edvinsson, Rasmussen, Matthews, Point

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The Buffalo Sabres received unfortunate news on the injury front earlier today after an MRI confirmed the severity of Jordan Greenway’s current injury. It had already been announced that Greenway wouldn’t play in the team’s loss on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers but Paul Hamilton is reporting he’s expected to miss the next few weeks.

Greenway has played in 16 of a potential 18 games for the Sabres this season but has significant injury concerns dating back to last season. In his first full season with the organization in the 2023-24 campaign, Greenway missed 15 games due to injury while scoring 10 goals and 28 points in the other 67 contests.

It’s not all negative on the injury front in Buffalo as Hamilton also reported that Tage Thompson has become a realistic possibility to play on Wednesday. Thompson hasn’t played since November 11th due to a lower-body injury making Wednesday his first day of eligibility from the injured reserve. He’s been electric for the Sabres this season scoring 11 goals and 18 points in 16 games when healthy.

Other Atlantic notes:

  • The Detroit Red Wings should have a few returning players tonight as defenseman Simon Edvinsson and forward Michael Rasmussen are expected to return (X Link). Edvinsson missed the team’s most recent game against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night due to a lower-body injury from a blocked shot against the Anaheim Ducks. Rasmussen joined Edvinsson in the press box on Saturday with an upper-body injury. A decision on both player’s game-time status should be confirmed shortly after warm-ups.
  • According to David Alter of The Hockey News, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is expected to miss his seventh straight game on Wednesday. Alter interestingly adds that Matthews hasn’t been skating the past couple of days but the organization assures he hasn’t taken a step back in his recovery. Toronto has earned a 5-1-0 record since Matthews exited the lineup on November 3rd.
  • Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times couldn’t get any confirmation on Brayden Point’s status tomorrow night for the Tampa Bay Lightning’s next game. Encina shares that Point is ’trending in the right direction’ but is still in danger of missing a fifth straight game for the Lightning.

Snapshots: Wild, Perets, Edvinsson, Rasmussen

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The Minnesota Wild have assigned forwards Liam Ohgren and Michael Milne, and defender Daemon Hunt, to the AHL as they anticipate the return of Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek. Michael Russo of The Athletic points out that, even with the two veterans returning, the team will likely call another forward up in the coming days.

Ohgren made his return to the lineup, and Milne his NHL debut, in Saturday’s loss to the Dallas Stars. Neither had much to show for their minutes, with Ohgren recording two shots in 12:10 and Milne recording three hits in 6:34. Another scoreless night pulled Ohgren through his eighth game this season with no points. Hunt hasn’t stepped into the lineup since being recalled on November 12th, though he did play one NHL game in October. All three have been far more productive with the AHL’s Iowa Wild – where Ohgren has four goals in four games; Hunt has two assists in six games; and Milne has eight points in 10 games. Ohgren and Milne will be the top options to be quickly recalled, though Minnesota could also turn towards veteran pros like Ben Jones, Travis Boyd, or Devin Shore.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Carolina Hurricanes have sent goaltender Yaniv Perets back to the minor leagues with Pyotr Kochetkov set to return from injury per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Kochetkov missed Carolina’s Saturday win over Ottawa with an undisclosed injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour describing Kochetkov as “banged up” to postgame media including NHL.com’s Matt Komma was the closest indication of Kochetkov’s hold up. Whatever the issue was, the young netminder is set to reassume his familiar role as de facto starter with Frederik Andersen out long-term. Kochetkov has eight wins and a .897 save percentage through 10 games this season. Meanwhile, Perets has only served as backup in his NHL call-ups this season. He’s posted a .825 save percentage in three AHL games this year, and will return to a crowded Chicago Wolves goaltender room beside Spencer Martin and Ruslan Khazheyev.
  • Forward Michael Rasmussen (upper-body) and defenseman Simon Edvinsson (lower-body) are both expected to return to the lineup on Monday per the Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James. Both players sat out of the team’s Saturday night loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Rasmussen has found a role in Detroit’s bottom-six, recording four points through 16 games this season. Edvinsson has proven far more impactful, usually serving as the go-to partner for star Wings defender Moritz Seider. Edvinsson has six points in 16 games this season, putting him on pace for 30 points in his rookie year.

Atlantic Notes: Rasmussen, Copp, Stützle

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Ansar Khan of MLive.com is reporting that Detroit Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen didn’t skate this morning with the team and won’t play tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Tonight’s absence will be Rasmussen’s sixth game in a row out of the lineup as he deals with an upper-body injury.

The 24-year-old last played back on April 1st in a 4-2 Detroit win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. If he misses both games in Detroit’s back-to-back against Montreal, he will wrap up his fifth NHL season with a career-high 33 points (13 goals and 20 assists) in 75 games.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • Less than a week after taking a high stick to the face and breaking his cheekbone, Red Wings forward Andrew Copp has returned to the lineup against the Canadiens. Copp skated with the team this morning sporting a full cage and was called a game-time decision for tonight. He ultimately has dressed in his 78th game of the season as the Red Wings battle for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Copp missed just two games with the injury.
  • TSN 1200 tweeted that Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle skated this morning with the team at Madison Square Garden in a non-contact jersey. The Senators play tonight against the Rangers and have just one game on the season remaining. Given the timeline, it seems unlikely that Stützle will return this season from an upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since April 4th. The Senators haven’t made the playoffs since the 2016-17 season and were expected to contend for a playoff spot this year but were out of the race by the midway point of the regular season. The 22-year-old has done his part though, posting 18 goals and 52 assists in 75 games in his fourth NHL season.

Atlantic Notes: Edmundson, Pinto, Rasmussen

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Maple Leafs defenseman Joel Edmundson won’t be available for their next two games, head coach Sheldon Keefe said (via David Alter of The Hockey News). However, Keefe didn’t rule out the possibility of Edmundson returning later this week, potentially Thursday at home against the Devils. The 30-year-old hasn’t played since sustaining an undisclosed injury against the Hurricanes on March 24, knocking him out for now at least eight games. He’d been solid otherwise for Toronto, controlling possession quality well with a 50.5 xGF% in tough shutdown minutes at even strength through seven games. The Manitoba native is still looking for his first point as a Leaf after they picked him up from the Capitals before the trade deadline.

Other updates out of the Atlantic Division:

  • Senators center Shane Pinto will suit up for the United States at the 2024 World Championship if invited, he confirmed to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia and TSN. While it’s unlikely he’ll crack the roster for the U.S. national team at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off or the 2026 Winter Olympics, Garrioch relays Pinto would like to extend his season regardless and gain experience playing meaningful games after the regular season ends. Pinto has been excellent for Ottawa since serving a 41-game suspension for violating the NHL’s sports wagering rules, racking up eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points in 36 games. He’s averaging 17:41 per game, a career-high by a long shot, and has some of the best possession numbers on the team with a 53.3 CF% and a 60.1 xGF%. The United States last medal at the 2021 tournament, winning bronze, and has lost the bronze medal game in back-to-back years.
  • Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen won’t be in the lineup tomorrow for a crucial game against the Capitals in a crucial game in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed. The two-way winger will miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old has done well before his four-year, $12.8MM extension kicks in next season, posting a career-high 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 75 games. He’s logging over 15 minutes per game for the second consecutive campaign, and while his possession numbers have dipped from last season, he’s receiving much more frequent deployment in the defensive zone.

Detroit Red Wings Injury Updates

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Earlier, Ansar Khan of MLive issued several injury updates to several players on the Detroit Red Wings. Still having six games remaining in the regular season, the Red Wings control their destiny for the playoffs and will have to do so without a good portion of their depth.

Specifically, Khan notes that forward Michael Rasmussen will not be in the lineup for the team’s game tomorrow night against the Buffalo Sabres, and will also not be present for the team’s following game against the Washington Capitals. Rasmussen originally went down with an upper-body injury on April 1st and did not play for the team on Friday in a loss to the New York Rangers.

It will be a big subtraction for several reasons, as Rasmussen’s size and athletic ability have allowed Detroit to move him up and down the lineup for much of the year. With this being his most successful season, Rasmussen has scored 13 goals and 33 points over 75 games this year, leading to a four-year, $12.8MM extension with the Red Wings back in February.

On the defensive side of the lineup, Khan also mentioned that defenseman Olli Maatta is questionable for tomorrow’s contest as he is also dealing with an upper-body injury. Playing primarily with offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere for much of the year, Maatta’s presence on the back end has been able to hide much of Gostisbehere’s defensive shortcomings.

In his second season in the Winged Wheel, Maatta has scored three goals and 17 points over 66 games, which is right on par with his production from last year. On the puck’s defensive side, Maatta has managed a 93.6 On-Ice Save Percentage in All Situations, a massive testament to his game, given that Detroit is 24th overall in goals against per game.

Lastly, in an update between the pipes, Khan reports that goaltender Ville Husso is close to beginning a rehab assignment with the organization’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Husso has been out for nearly two months for Detroit as he works his way back from a lower-body injury.

Before the emergence of Alex Lyon in the crease, Husso started the year as the Red Wings starting option in the net. Although he was a bit streaky to start the year, Husso has put together a 9-5-2 record over 18 starts, carrying a .892 save percentage and a 3.55 goals-against average.

East Notes: Couturier, Rasmussen, Danforth, Kuraly

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A difficult season for Flyers captain Sean Couturier continues. The 31-year-old sustained an undisclosed injury in Monday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders, and head coach John Tortorella is “not sure when he’ll be back,” he told reporters today (via Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia). He carries a day-to-day designation, though, and hasn’t specifically been ruled out of Friday’s contest against the Sabres. He’s without a point and has a -4 rating in six games since returning from back-to-back healthy scratches in mid-March, not the response he or Tortorella was looking for. Couturier’s recent struggles have been a significant reason why the Flyers’ playoff chances have dropped by about 25% in the past few weeks, as they now find themselves in a nearly neck-and-neck race with the Capitals and Red Wings for two playoff spots. He’s logged over 15 minutes in a game just twice since the beginning of March and has played mostly fourth-line minutes since his healthy scratches. The 2011 eighth-overall pick has at least managed to remain mostly healthy after missing most of the last two seasons due to back injuries, but his offensive impact has been greatly diminished with 11 goals and 36 points in 70 games, his worst point-per-game pace in nine years.

Elsewhere out East:

  • Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen won’t play against the Rangers on Friday due to an undisclosed injury and has been awarded a day-to-day designation, head coach Derek Lalonde said today. The 2017 ninth-overall pick has a career-high 33 points and was one of four Red Wings to play all 75 games this season. He’s unlikely to reach the offensive ceiling expected of a top-10 pick, but the 24-year-old sits among one of Lalonde’s most trusted shutdown forwards and has averaged 15:11 per game, also a career-high, while shifting from center to wing for most of the campaign. 60.3% of his even-strength zone starts have come in the defensive end, leading all qualified Red Wings forwards and trailing only Moritz Seider among skaters. Robby Fabbri is expected to slide into a top-nine role with Rasmussen out, while Daniel Sprong returns to the lineup as the fourth-line right wing.
  • Blue Jackets forward Justin Danforth is dealing with an illness and is questionable for tomorrow’s clash against the Islanders, head coach Pascal Vincent told Jeff Svoboda of the team’s official site. If he’s ruled out, they’ll need to make an emergency recall from AHL Cleveland, as they aren’t carrying any healthy extras on the roster. Saddled with short-term injuries, Columbus has cycled through a multitude of youngsters as of late that they’d certainly rather have playing important developmental minutes in the minors down the stretch. One player nearing a return is Sean Kuraly, who Vincent said practiced today and is close to returning but won’t be ready tomorrow. He carried a week-to-week designation after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Canadiens on March 12. Danforth has played only once since returning from a concussion that sidelined him for nearly a month, posting zeros across the board in 9:31 of ice time in a 4-1 win over the Avalanche on Monday.

Red Wings Sign Michael Rasmussen To Four-Year Extension

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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.

Injury Notes: Pearson, Savoie, Rasmussen

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CapFriendly has reported that the Vancouver Canucks have officially activated veteran forward Tanner Pearson off of long-term injured reserve. In their post on X, CapFriendly writes: “This is significant because it means that he is no longer considered an LTI candidate, and tentatively leaves the club $1,709,167 over the cap” even if they place defenseman Tucker Poolman on LTIR.

The team could still be cap compliant to start the season, but to do so they would need to carry fewer than the maximum of 23 players on their active roster. Pearson, 31, is making $3.25MM against the cap and played just 14 games last season, scoring five points.

Some more injury notes from across the NHL:

  • The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski is reporting that Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie left the prospects game against the Pittsburgh Penguins with an apparent injury. The 2022 ninth-overall pick left the ice in pain and did not return to the game. The Sabres have said that Savoie may miss time at the start of camp with what is being described as an upper body injury.
  • CapFriendly has also reported that the Detroit Red Wings have now officially activated forward Michael Rasmussen off of injured reserve. Rasmussen had been on injured reserve since March 2nd, meaning he finished his 2022-23 season with just 56 games played. The hulking six-foot-six forward had something of a breakout year, though, scoring at a 15-goal, 42-point 82-game pace.

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