J.T. Compher has four points, two goals and two assists, in his last three games, a clear sign he and Michael Rasmussen are finally hitting their stride for the Detroit Red Wings. This is exactly the kind of production the Red Wings need from these guys if they want to climb the standings from their 7-6-3 record. We’re in the second month of the season, and it’s looking like these two are finally playing to the standard the team needs.
The Third Line Is Cooking, And Coach Noticed
Head coach Todd McLellan wasn’t shy after the 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, saying, “We see some players elevating, a few falling off a little bit, and we’ll have to poke a couple just to make sure that they maintain the level they’ve been playing at.” Guess what? Compher and Rasmussen are definitely in that “elevating” group. Compher has been on fire since coming back on October 22 from a seven-game injury layoff. His four points in his last three outings speak for themselves. Rasmussen, while only picking up one assist in that same span, has been huge with his screens. On both of Compher’s recent goals, it was Rasmussen taking away the opposing goaltender’s eyes. That’s big-time, gritty work, folks. They’re paired on the third line, with either Nate Danielson or John Leonard on the right wing, and that unit is making some noise. Compher himself said, “I think Mike’s playing really good hockey right now. Since I’ve been back in the lineup, I feel like we’ve played well together. When he’s playing hard and holding on to pucks behind the net and getting to the front of the net, he’s going to be really impactful.”
Past Struggles, Present Impact, and Future Hopes
Let’s be real, both Compher and Rasmussen have been under the microscope. McLellan admitted, “I know they’ve been the target of people that follow our hockey club. Fairly or unfairly, based on past.” Rasmussen, at 27, was projected to be a 30-point guy a few years back, playing to his big 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame. But a leg injury in February 2023 definitely messed with his game, and he hasn’t quite lived up to his four-year, $3.2 million annual average value contract. Compher, 31, is in a similar boat, in his fourth year of a five-year, $5.1 million AAV deal, and hasn’t fully met expectations either. But McLellan is seeing it differently now: “I don’t think they should be the target of anybody right now. They’re giving us what they can give us, and they’ve been effective players, in my opinion, and I’m going to keep playing them.” This isn’t just a hopeful statement from the coach. The numbers and the eye test are backing him up. If these two can keep building on this momentum, the Red Wings will be a much tougher team to play against.
The Red Wings just wrapped up two road games, were off Wednesday, and now they’re hosting the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, November 5, at Little Caesars Arena. After that, they hit the road for four more games. It’s a grind, and having guys like Compher and Rasmussen finally performing makes all the difference for a team trying to find its groove early in the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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