Notes: Rasmussen continuing to adjust to NHL

RALEIGH -- Making the jump to the NHL is a difficult challenge for any player but especially a young player who is essentially skipping a level.
Michael Rasmussen, the youngest Wing at age 19, was not eligible to go to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins and would have had to return to his junior team, the Tri-City Americans, had he not made the Wings.

"It's a huge jump and one I think he's handled pretty well," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I think it takes mental toughness and I think he's done a good job with that. When he's had struggles he's been able to get himself out of it and that's a real important thing. I think he's a good player. He's really learning to be heavier on the puck.
"Now the next step is learning how to create offense out of being heavy on the puck. Not just hold onto it but how to find open guys the way the real good down-low players are. That's the next progression for him but he's had a good progression of learning how to win those pucks and being heavy on it."

Rasmussen has five goals and five assists in 33 games, with three of those assists coming in the last 11 games.
"Overall I think I've gotten better," Rasmussen said. "I think it's a big process. It's not going to take half a season, it's going to take a bit here. I think I've done a good job of improving and getting better."
Like many NHL players, Rasmussen was a prolific scorer in junior hockey, scoring 63 goals and 51 assists in 97 games in his last two seasons with the Americans.
As a whole, the Wings have gone through extended stretches where they haven't scored as much and Rasmussen has experienced the same thing.
"Sometimes they come, sometimes they don't. Sometimes points come, sometimes goals come, and then sometimes you go through stretches where you're not really in their zone ever," Rasmussen said. "Just got to get back to playing simple and trying to be in their zone as much as possible."
Overall, Blashill has been pleased with Rasmussen's progress.
"I don't think we've spent enough time in the O-zone and we haven't got enough shots through for sure," Blashill said. "His best asset is his net-front ability. He's also on the power-play unit that hasn't gotten out there the last number of games. The other unit has gone first and they've scored a couple times, which is a positive thing. But that's another area where he's going to score his goals.
"I'm not worried. I don't look at production in the short-term as much as I look at process and I think he's played good. I think he's been big and strong and physical. I think he can get back to being a little more physical than he's been. But overall, he's been good. He hasn't been great, been good, we got to get him back to playing great."
BACK TO CAROLINA: After Thursday night's game in Carolina, the Wings and Hurricanes will be done facing each other this season.
The season series is tied as the Hurricanes beat the Wings at Little Caesars Arena, 3-1 on Oct. 22 and the Wings earned a shootout victory, 4-3, at PNC Arena on Nov. 10.

"Certainly, the last time we were in here we were lucky to get out with a win," Blashill said. "Our goalie was excellent. The two times we've played them they've had us hemmed in our end way, way too much and there's been an issue with that against other teams as well, so it's something we're going to have to make sure we get solved tonight. They come at you hard, they press forward. If you can't get the puck behind them or take advantage of the rushes we can potentially get, then it can be a hard night. We got to make sure we get pucks behind them, got to make sure you take advantage of the rushes that we get."
The Nov. 10 contest was a memorable game for goaltender Jonathan Bernier, as he made 49 saves on 52 shots.
Bernier will make his third straight start.
Jimmy Howard was supposed to start Tuesday in Philadelphia but his back seized up and he was unable to play.
Fortunately, Howard has recovered enough to be able to back up Bernier against the Hurricanes.
"The health of all our players is important, certainly in Jimmy's case, he's been excellent for us this year," Blashill said. "So to keep him healthy, not only ultimately available when you're healthy but also, I think he's played great. I think those two things are important."
Sebastian Aho is the Hurricanes' leading scorer with 12 goals among his 34 points in 32 games.
Against the Wings, Aho has been more the playmaker than goal scorer with one goal and four assists in seven games.
It is defenseman Justin Faulk who has often tallied against Detroit, with five goals and 11 assists in 18 games, which includes four multi-point games.
Former Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek was injured and did not play in that Nov. 10 game but was the winning goalie on Oct. 22, making 20 saves.
Mrazek is coming off a 23-save shutout of the Arizona Coyotes this past Sunday.