After swapping second round picks in the Dmitri Kulikov trade, the Buffalo Sabres selected Rasmus Asplund from Sweden with the 33rd overall pick.
Asplund joins Alexander Nylander as the Sabres top two selections in the 2016 Draft. The Sabres are starting out forward heavy in the first two rounds and have found some solid production with Asplund. The Swedish center was projected early to be a first round pick but has fallen to the Sabres early in the second round. Asplund played for Team Sweden in the World Juniors this season and finished with five points (3+2) in seven games, which was good for sixth overall on the team, and he centered the second line with none other than Alex Nylander on his wing.
Here’s what Elite Prospects has to say about Asplund:
An all-round two-way player. Asplund does most things really well and stands out with his smarts. Reads the game impressively, is responsible with the puck and is a strong passer. Handles the puck with confidence and does not shy away from the dirty work, although not a particularly physical player. Not overly spectacular, Asplund will still at times stand out with his speed and create scoring opportunities.
The Sabres still have eight more draft picks left in rounds three through seven today so follow along with all our draft coverage throughout the day.
This is a developing story and will be updated as needed.