Rasmussen, 18, was the Red Wings' first choice of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft on June 23 at the United Center in Chicago, selected with the ninth overall pick of the first round. The 6-foot-6, 221-pound forward is currently skating for Canada at the World Junior Summer Showcase at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., and is slated to serve as captain of the Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans for the upcoming 2017-18 campaign. Rasmussen has spent the past two seasons with Tri-City and ranked second on the team in 2016-17 with 32 goals, despite missing the final 22 games of the season due to a wrist injury. He led the Americans with 15 power play goals, which tied for sixth overall in the WHL, and ranked among team leaders with 23 assists (9th), 55 points (7th) and five game-winning goals (T1st). In 114 games with Tri-City since 2014-15, Rasmussen has registered 98 points (50-48-98) and 89 penalty minutes.
A native of Surrey, British Columbia, Rasmussen joined the Tri-City organization after the team selected him with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft. Prior to entering the WHL, Rasmussen played for the Okanagan Hockey Academy, leading the team with 50 points (27-23-50) in 28 games during the 2014-15 season and adding another eight points (3-5-8) in three postseason games to help the team capture the Canadian Sport School Hockey League championship. Rasmussen has also twice played for Canada at international tournaments, producing four points (1-3-4) in four games at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and picking up three points (2-1-3) in five games for Canada Black at the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in British Columbia.
Michael Rasmussen, Center
Born Apr 17 1999 -- Surrey, BC
Height 6.06 -- Weight 221 -- Shoots L
Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 1 #9 overall 2017 NHL Entry Draft
