Detroit Red Wings sign Michael Rasmussen to 4-year extension worth $3.2 million per year

The Detroit Red Wings took care of a bit of business to start this week, getting one of their forwards signed to an extension.

Forward Michael Rasmussen, a former first-round pick from 2017, was inked to a four-year deal worth $12.8 million. The contract carries a $3.2 million annual average value.

That strikes one player off general manager Steve Yzerman's to-do list; pending restricted free agents Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond are both in the final years of their entry-level contracts and project to get new deals before July 1.

Rasmussen, the No. 9 overall pick in 2017, has been a consistent double-digit goal scorer for Detroit the past three seasons. In 55 appearances this season, Rasmussen has 23 points — 11 goals and 12 assists — with a plus-11 rating while averaging 15:10 of ice time per game.

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Rasmussen’s deal makes sense for both sides. It gives the 24-year-old a nice raise and job security. For the Wings, it locks up a player who over the past couple seasons really has come into his own. Rasmussen is a dependable, utilitarian forward who can play center or wing, who can play on the first line to add muscle when dealing with matchups on the road or strengthen the third line. This season, he has spent a good deal of time with Andrew Copp and Christian Fischer, forming as close to a checking line as the Wings have.

In each of his past three seasons, Rasmussen has scored at least 10 goals. He was having a terrific season last year when it was cut short at the ed of February by a leg injury.

Rasmussen made his debut for the Red Wings at age 19 in 2018-19, appearing in 62 games and racking up 18 points with eight goals and 10 assists. He moved between the Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins from 2018-2021, before becoming a mainstay on the NHL roster starting in the 2021-22 season.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings sign Michael Rasmussen to 4-year contract extension