On Tuesday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that they had re-signed forward Michael Rasmussen to a four-year contract.
It’s been a big week for Rasmussen. First, he got promoted to Detroit’s top line. Now, he has a new contract that will keep him in Hockeytown through 2028.
Rasmussen’s On-Ice & Contract Value
To say Rasmussen has been versatile is an understatement. He has skated on all four lines this season, contributed to both special teams, and is often on the ice late in games. He has also lined up at center and on the wing, both in scoring and checking roles. Clearly, the Red Wings value the 6-foot-6 forward’s flexibility.
So far, Rasmussen has skated in all 55 of Detroit’s games and has 11 goals and 23 points to his name. And if he keeps up this pace, he’ll set career highs for goals, assists, and points by season’s end.
When looking into possible contract projections earlier in the year, I kept coming back to Adam Lowry as the perfect comparable for Rasmussen. Lowry, the captain of the Winnipeg Jets, is another big, versatile forward who can play up and down the lineup and is a strong team leader. The two score at a similar clip, too – Lowry also has 23 points this season (in 53 games). His contract: five years at $3.25 million.
Considering Lowry’s deal was signed in April of 2021—during a flat cap environment—the Red Wings are getting tremendous value with Rasmussen’s new deal. Four years at $3.2 million is a big win for both the Red Wings and Rasmussen.
Detroit’s Remaining Priorities
Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has a full plate in front of him. In the near term, he has the trade deadline – the Red Wings are poised to be buyers for the first time since he took the reins.
In addition, franchise cornerstones Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond need new contracts. Joe Veleno and Jonatan Berggren are other key restricted free agents to watch as well.
Related: Projecting Moritz Seider’s New Red Wings Contract
And finally, Yzerman will need to make decisions on pending unrestricted free agents like David Perron, Patrick Kane, Daniel Sprong, and Christian Fischer – all of whom have played significant roles on the team so far this year.
With Rasmussen signed for the next four years, Yzerman can devote more of his time to these tasks as he guides the Red Wings back into contention.
