Detroit Red Wings select Michael Rasmussen in first round
By Mike Rizzo
The Detroit Red Wings selected Michael Rasmussen with the ninth pick in the NHL Draft. He’s a 6’6″ center from Tri City in the WHL.
The Detroit Red Wings drafted someone they hope can be a big piece of their rebuild. Michael Rasmussen was the ninth pick for the Red Wings and at 6’6 he could be the net front presence this team has needed since Tomas Holmstrom retired.
This pick has been met with mixed feelings by Red Wings fans. I would have picked a defensemen like Timothy Liljegren or Erik Brannstrom. Others wanted forwards like Gabriel Vilardi or Martin Necas.
Necas, Vilardi and Liljegren were all rated higher than Rasmussen and Rasmussen was fading in the Hockey Writers rankings. Rasmussen also has to get better playing five-on-five as scouting reports have said.
Some scouts think Rasmussen is the definition of a power forward, he also is getting compared to Tomas Holmstrom. The Red Wings have needed someone like Holmstrom for a while now and may finally have it. Rasmussen needs to be up sooner rather than later.
A couple of positives about Rasmussen that fans will like are, he goes hard to the net and 15 of his 32 goals were scored on the power play. Those are two things that the Red Wings have missed badly the last couple of seasons.
Rounds two through seven are tonight and the Red Wings have ten more picks; four of them being in the third round.
Next: Tigers release Francisco Rodriguez
The future of the Red Wings will be determined in a big way tomorrow and Ken Holland has to hit on some of these draft picks.
How do you feel about the Red Wings first round pick? What do you think they do today in the draft? Comment below or Tweet us!