Top 3 most intriguing players on the Buffalo Sabres in 2022
By Sion Fawkes
Rasmus Asplund
To appreciate Asplund’s game, you need to look beyond his statistics, where he scored just 27 times in 80 contests. You really need to look beyond everything and watch film of his play from last season. One that ended with him snagging a few Selke votes, and it shows you how good of a defensive forward he really is.
An excellent player on the forecheck, when Asplund is on the ice, the Sabres are often in scoring position, evidenced by his 52.8% Corsi For and 52.9% Fenwick For at even strength. This may not seem like a huge advantage, but it is both an 8.2% and 9.1% increase, respectively, from 2020-21. Further, 51.2% of all face-offs occurred in the offensive zone with Asplund, an 8.9% increase.
And finally, opponents are far more erratic with the puck at Asplund’s presence, shooting just 89.9% at even strength. No, Asplund isn’t the kind of player you want on the top two scoring lines, but his defensive nature makes him a remarkable puzzle piece for the third line, which he should play in 2022-23.