The Nashville Predators have acquired forward Rasmus Asplund from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick.
Asplund, 25, has registered eight points (two goals, six assists) in 27 games this season. According to our friends at CapFriendly, he has a cap hit of $825,000. Asplund is a two-way forward who has a high hockey IQ.
He was originally drafted in the second round, 33rd overall by the Sabres in the 2016 NHL Draft. Prior to turning pro, he spent time in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with Farjestad, totalling 62 points (20 goals, 42 assists) in 170 games.
He has spent time with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL), and in his rookie campaign, recorded 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists) in 75 games. Asplund made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season but struggled to find his ground, registering three points in 29 games. Last season, Asplund set a career-high 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in 80 games.
Through a four-year career so far, he has appeared in 164 games totalling 18 goals and 31 assists for 49 points. He also represented Sweden at the international level in 2021-22 at the IIHF World Championship where he was named a World Championship top-3 player for scoring six goals in eight games.
This deal comes just shortly after general manager Kevyn Adams and the Sabres acquired forward Jordan Greenway from the Minnesota Wild for a draft pick. The Sabres are now in a playoff push, possessing a record of 31-25-4 and currently rank fourth in the Atlantic Division.
With David Poile and the Predators in sellers mode, trading Tanner Jeannot, Nino Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund and Mattias Ekholm, they decided to shop and acquire a depth project forward. The Predators currently sit fifth in the Central Divison with a record of 30-23-6.
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