Rasmussen, Red Wings staying patient during development

DETROIT -- Practice had ended for the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, but the work was not done for rookie forward Michael Rasmussen.

Brandon Naurato, a skills coach and Red Wings consultant, pulled a net into the neutral zone and set it up as if the side boards were the end boards. He had Rasmussen battle with veteran center Luke Glendening, then tutored Rasmussen 1-on-1.
The lessons: cutbacks, reading off your opponent, creating space for yourself.
"Definitely it's an adjustment period here," Rasmussen said. "And definitely just got to keep working at it and I'll get there."
This was a glimpse into why the Red Wings have decided to keep the 19-year-old in the NHL instead of sending him back to his junior team, Tri-City of the Western Hockey League, even though he has one assist in nine games and has been scratched twice.
It remains to be seen whether he will stay in the NHL for the rest of season or play for Canada in the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, which runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2019, and then go back to Tri-City. The Red Wings will re-evaluate in early December.
But whatever happens, his development is worth burning a season of his three-year entry-level contract when he plays his 10th game, against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, FS-D+, NHL.TV).

"We need to win but we also need to make sure that we're doing the best thing we can for Michael Rasmussen in the long term," coach Jeff Blashill said. "Our assessment as we stand here today is the best thing to do is to keep him here."
Rasmussen is important to the Red Wings rebuild. He was the No. 9 pick of the 2017 NHL Draft, at the time their highest pick since they selected forward Martin Lapointe No. 10 in 1991 (forward
Filip Zadina
was selected No. 6 in the 2018 NHL Draft).
The dilemma is that the Red Wings have two options for Rasmussen this season, junior or the NHL, because his age makes him ineligible to play for Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.
The 6-foot-6, 221-pound center was dominant for Tri-City last season, with 59 points (31 goals, 28 assists) in 47 regular-season games, and 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 14 playoff games. He projects to be a force down low.
But the pace is quicker in the NHL, and the opponents are men with experience.

The Red Wings have shifted him to left wing, though he will play center against Columbus with Frans Nielsen out and Andreas Athanasiou doubtful because of injuries.
"It's more learning how to be that same big, strong guy against bigger and stronger people," Blashill said. "There's two ways to do that. One's technique, and one's strength and power."
When Rasmussen has played, he has averaged 12:39 of ice time, including 2:29 on the power play, fourth among Detroit skaters.
When he has not played, it has been strategic. The Red Wings had three off days before Rasmussen was scratched against the Winnipeg Jets at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, then an off day at home afterward.
With extra time, including time to recover physically before the next game, Rasmussen could work out his legs and core with strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar. He could work on his cutbacks, edges and moves down low with Naurato. He could study video with Blashill, who showed him two things.
"One is skating with the puck from the top of the circle to the top of the circle," Blashill said. "When he gets the puck he's got to play at a fast pace in those areas. You can slow it down once you get over the top of the circle, but this League's too fast to stand still when you get the puck.
"And two, ways to use his body to knock people off their kilter a little bit so he can maintain possession of the puck and make plays off the cycle."
Rasmussen returned to the lineup against the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Blashill said he was excellent, pinpointing five positive plays he made, like recovering the puck off the face-off on the power play and protecting the puck with his body along the wall.
The extra work apparently paid off.
"I think I'm definitely seeing progress," Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen has not scored yet, but by one count he has had four near-misses around the net. The thought is that he has put himself in the right spots, and once his head and hands catch up to the NHL pace, chances will become goals.
If he starts producing he'll stay in the NHL. If not, the Red Wings will have to decide if he would be better playing World Juniors and going to the WHL.
The important thing is not where he is this season, but where he is in seasons to come.