The Buffalo Sabres have signed 2016 second-round draft pick Rasmus Asplund to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday morning.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 20-year-old was drafted 33rd overall by the Sabres in 2016. A center from Filipstad, Sweden, he’s spent the last four seasons playing with Farjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League.
This past season, he put up 28 points, including eight goals, in 50 games. Farjestad eventually fell in the playoffs to Skelleftea. Asplund also played a handful of international games for Sweden.
Asplund has previously played alongside fellow Sabres prospect Alexander Nylander, as both skated at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships for Sweden.
In addition, both Asplund and Nylander played alongside projected 2018 first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships.
The Sabres moved up five spots in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in order to select the Swedish forward; they sent defenseman Mark Pysyk and the 38th overall selection to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Dmitry Kulikov and the 33rd overall pick. Asplund was initially projected as a first-round pick and could end up being a steal for Buffalo.