Asplund was a bit of a prodigy growing up in Sweden, earning a full-time spot in the SHL as a 17-year-old and captaining their U17 and U18 national teams. Never a particularly explosive scorer at any level, Asplund was touted more for his tenacity and hockey sense. Tim Murray traded up to pick him high in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft. He was a centre in Sweden and Rochester, but has spent most of his NHL time on the wing. He struggled for most of the first half of his first year in