HSJ examines the Wings’ 2017 draft class

The Free Press’s Helene St. James wraps up her examinations of the Red Wings’ most recent draft selections by discussing the 2017 draft, which consists of a crop of players still very much so “in progress” toward their developmental goals:

F Michael Rasmussen

Drafted: Ninth.

Draft year doings: 32 goals, 23 assists in 50 games for  Tri-City Americans (Western Hockey League).

Draft day scouting report: Goes to the hard areas. Plays the net-front on the power play. Good scoring touch around the net. Competitive. Good skater. Has got a chance to be really good.

Post-draft doings: Had 31 goals and 28 assists for 59 points in 47 regular-season games this past season with Tri-City, missing about six weeks because of wrist surgery. Finished season on a seven-game point streak (seven goals, three assists). In 2018 WHL playoffs, Rasmussen had 14 goals and 17 assists for 33 points in 14 games. He had multi-point performances in 10 games, and only went without a point in one game.

Next up: Rasmussen’s dominance down the stretch and through the playoffs have earned him a shot at making the Wings this autumn. He’s 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, so even though he’s only 19, that’ll help him as he plays against men. He’s smart, goes to the net, and a candidate for power-play minutes. He’s a center but played wing during the playoffs, and that should help him this autumn, because it’s a less demanding position than center, especially for a young player (Dylan Larkin started out in NHL as a wing, then found his footing at center).

Rasmussen has a year left of junior eligibility, so he’ll either be in Detroit next season, or juniors. The AHL is not an option. If the Wings keep him past 10 games, it’ll burn a year of his entry-level contract if they later end up sending him back to juniors.

Early assessment: Looks promising.

St. James continues…

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, when MLive hired me to work their SlapShots blog, and I joined Kukla's Korner in 2011 as The Malik Report. I'm starting The Malik Report as a stand-alone site, hoping that having my readers fund the website is indeed the way to go to build a better community and create better content.

5 thoughts on “HSJ examines the Wings’ 2017 draft class”

  1. I hoping Rasmussen makes the team. He seems like a no nonsense, head down focused kid with some great skill. I loved the way he played during the preseason and from the highlights that I caught from his season. It’s a shame he cannot go to the Griffin’s if he does not make the wings this season. Rules suck.

    1. It’s a terrible rule. The Canadian Hockey League argues that it would drain the league of talent, but it really only applies to 4 or 5 players per league per year.

  2. My fear is that Rasmussen will make the big club, do something that pisses mini-Mike (Blashill) off and spend the majority of the season in the press box. I have lost all confidence in the current head coach.

  3. He would go back to juniors before he becomes a healthy scratch. My bigger fear would be that they put him in a 4th line role at 6-9 minutes a game until he earns the coach’s “trust”.

  4. Just bring Rasmussen up to Wings and play him…
    Yes, he will make mistakes but he is
    “The Future”…
    Wings have too many players who are just “Going thru the motions”…
    This team needs a shakeup!!
    Also….do not draft any small defenceman…
    There are several big talented candidates available….

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