MLive’s Ansar Khan continues his series of player profiles this morning, examining Michael Rasmussen’s 2018-2019 campaign before issuing a 2019-2020 season outlook:
2019-20 outlook: The Red Wings decided after the preseason that Rasmussen wouldn’t gain much from returning for his final junior season at Tri-City (WHL), so they kept him in Detroit. He was not eligible to play in the AHL, but he will be this season, so Rasmussen will be competing for a roster spot in training camp and the preseason.
He needs to convince the front office/coaching staff that he can be a fairly consistent scoring threat. The best way to do that is to utilize his big frame as a net presence, particularly on the power play.
Skating will never be Rasmussen’s strength, but he must move his feet to find space near the net and use his hands to score in tight spaces.
Rasmussen needs to play regularly on one of the top three lines to stay in Detroit. He’ll be competing with other young, waiver-exempt forwards like Taro Hirose, Filip Zadina and Ryan Kuffner. Chances are, no more than two will start the season in Detroit, barring injuries to others.
Continued, and at this point in his career, I believe that Rasmussen would benefit from some AHL games.
