1 player Red Wings must trade before 2026 NHL Trade Deadline

The Detroit Red Wings look as if they will be buyers at the upcoming 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. Detroit is tied on points for second in the Atlantic Division. They are receiving incredible goaltending from John Gibson after a trade during the summer. And their core of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Moritz Seider is extremely formidable.

This roster is not perfect by any means. Detroit has some holes it will need to fill before the trade deadline comes around next month. They have the picks, prospects, and salary cap space to make something happen. It comes down to finding the right trade partner. As they say, it takes two to tango.

At the same time, future assets may not be the only players on the table. The Red Wings made a trade last year involving Joe Veleno, a then-25-year-old former first-round pick. He was a roster player who was moved out to try and get more goaltending and bottom-six depth.

The likelihood of a similar trade is a bit low, considering Detroit’s current position. However, it’s not completely off the table. Some trades at the deadline are about mixing up the roster. Getting new faces on the team to provide an edge in an area of need. With this in mind, there is one player the Red Wings must consider trading at the deadline.

Red Wings’ Michael Rasmussen needs a change of scenery

The Red Wings had high hopes for Michael Rasmussen when they selected him ninth overall in 2017. Rasmussen had some concerns coming out of the draft, including his play at 5v5. However, he quickly showed signs of becoming a valueable player.

He enjoyed quite the season in 2021-22, playing 80 games and scoring 15 goals in his first full season with the team. The next season, though, seemed as if he was on the verge of a breakout. He scored 29 points in 56 games, and did enough to earn a contract extension from the Red Wings the next season.

Unfortunately, he was hurt in the 2022-23 campaign. He missed the rest of the season, and he has since been unable to recover his form. In 2022-23, he played to a 43-point pace before the injury. He has only surpassed 30 points once in the years since the injury,

This wasn’t the end of the world, though. Rasmussen’s main value was in his physicality and defense. He was something of a spark plug on this team. If he wasn’t on the ice, the Red Wings struggled to set the tone, especially if they weren’t able to score goals. Entering the 2025-26 campaign, Rasmussen had four straight seasons with 100+ hits.

The 2025-26 campaign has proven to be Rasmussen’s worst, though. He is currently on pace for 21 points. Furthermore, his physicality has nearly vanished, as he is on pace to record just 77 hits this season.

The Red Wings need more from their bottom-six if they want to do something in the postseason. Detroit can address this with a move to bolster the bottom six, but Rasmussen has little value to this team if he isn’t throwing the body.

A change of scenery may be best for both sides. And this would be the perfect time to make that change. Rasmussen is still only 26, and he can play a role in the NHL. Furthermore, he is signed for another two seasons beyond 2025-26. He can also play center, which a lot of teams are looking for. There should be at least a few teams that would be willing to take a chance on him.

What a Ramsussen trade looks like is up for debate. There are theoretically multiple ways to go about it. In any event, if the Red Wings elect to make a move from their roster this season, Michael Rasmussen is the player who should be on the trade block.

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