
Detroit Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen is sidelined day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan confirmed Monday per Max Bultman of The Athletic.
Facing the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, Rasmussen exited late in the second period and did not return following a hit by Ducks center Trevor Zegras. While Zegras was not penalized on the play, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced earlier Monday that he faces a possible suspension as a result of the interference play.
Through 56 games with the Red Wings this season, the 25-year-old native of Surrey, B.C., has recorded nine goals and seven assists for 16 points alongside 15 penalty minutes and a minus-five rating. Originally chosen ninth overall by Detroit in the 2017 NHL Draft, Rasmussen is skating in his sixth season with the Red Wings. In 2023-24, Rasmussen reached a career-high 33 points counting 13 goals and 20 assists coming in 75 contests. In all, through 369 total appearances, Rasmussen has registered 58 goals and 77 assists for 135 points.
Beyond Rasmussen, the Red Wings also announced Monday that center Andrew Copp has been placed on the injured reserve due to an undisclosed ailment. On the season, the 30-year-old native of Ann Arbor, Mich., has registered 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points through 56 outings.
Following Sunday’s 5-4 overtime victory against the Ducks, the Red Wings improved to 29-22-6 on the season to hold down the first wildcard seed in the Eastern Conference with 64 points. Winners of eight of their past 10 outings, the Red Wings will look to once again find the win column when the club returns to the ice Tuesday to take on the Minnesota Wild.
The Red Wings have not competed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2016, the NHL’s second-longest postseason drought behind only the Atlantic Division rival Buffalo Sabres.