The final session of Michael Rasmussen’s internship with the Detroit Red Wings figures to be Saturday in Toronto, as the team contests their final game of the NHL preseason against the Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.

Rasmussen’s time to be a Red Wing will not be now, but make no mistake, it is coming, and most probably sooner than it takes the average Wings draft pick to make the grade.

Given an extended look in training camp, the goal in the minds of the Detroit brass was to first of all, offer their 2017 first-round draft pick a significant taste of NHL life before returning him to the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. Secondly, the hope was that a strong camp would not only boost Rasmussen’s confidence and competence at the NHL level, but also whet his appetite so that he comes to Detroit next fall determined to show everyone that this is where he should be playing.

“What I would hope is that you give him this kind of time this year and maybe next year he comes ready to try and make the hockey team,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “How many guys are really helping teams win really the first year out of the draft? Not very many. Really helping teams win, you’re talking about a top three pick usually.”

Rasmussen has scored in three of the four preseason games he’s played. He’s displayed a knack for going to the net, a real touch around the net, and despite his detractors in terms of foot speed, Rasmussen has offered little to fret about in regards to his skating ability.

“He takes one stride, I take two, so I’m a little jealous there,” Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg joked about the 6-6, 221-pound center. “But he looks good. He’s a big kid, strong on his feet and the puck and can make plays.

“It’s a great addition this summer and I think we’re going to see a lot of him in upcoming years.”

If all goes according to plan, that could be as soon as next year.

“I think this gives him experience to hopefully build on, go back and have a great year, and then if he has a great year, then all of a sudden he’s had a great year, he’s had a great training camp,” Blashill said. “Now he’s starting to make a statement that he wants to try and make the team a year from now.”

As much as he’s shown some signs that he’s NHL ready, there are other obvious indications that Rasmussen has much to learn, and most of these grow apparent when Detroit does not have the puck.

“When you’re a center in down low coverage, your job is basically, you’re almost a rover,” Blashill explained. “You’re all over the ice, supporting the play off the puck, so you’ve got to be really moving your feet.

“I thought there was times that we spent lots of time in our end because he wasn’t quite moving his feet enough and killing plays and getting the puck out of the zone.”

Rasmussen doesn’t play the what if game, or get caught up in scenarios that involve him making the team, which is a good thing, because he’s not making the team.

“My mindset kind of stays the same every day,” Rasmussen said. “I come in and try to get better, work hard and be a good teammate. So whether I’m on this team or another team, that’s me.”

The Wings could opt to keep Rasmussen for nine NHL games before the first year of his entry-level deal kicks in but really, what would the point of that be? To maintain their slim playoff hopes, the Wings will need to grasp hold of every point they can get, so that doesn’t leave opportunity to be experimenting in games that matter.

“I think that the only time that’s an option is if you think he helps you win,” Blashill said. “You’ve got to feel real positive, like in our case up the middle, you’d have to feel he’s going to give you a better chance to win that Zetterberg, (Dylan) Larkin, (Frans) Nielsen. I don’t know that he’s totally suited for that fourth-line spot. It’s real hard to play as a fourth liner when you’re not used to it.

“You see him play good out here. Well, he’s playing power play, penalty kill, lots of time. At the end of the day, we’d have to feel he can help us win those games. Those nine games are critically important to us to where we want to be at the end of the year.

“I don’t think there’s anybody ready to say that right now he’s better than Zetterberg, Larkin or Nielsen. While it might be OK for his experience standpoint, you can’t afford that. I don’t think it’s going to make or break a kid, to be honest. It’s just continued progress, and confidence is a big factor. Lots of times when guys go back, they get a chance to dominate and continue that offensive confidence.”

It’s going to be a long, tough year in Detroit, and anyone who thinks otherwise needs a reality check. Leaving Rasmussen mired in that mess would be counter-productive.

He’ll be much better served to go back to junior, have a huge year, and come to camp next fall looking to help the Wings get back to where they used to be.

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