The Florida Panthers have signed UFA forward Rasmus Asplund to a one-year, two-way contract, the team announced. PuckPedia reports Asplund’s deal is worth $775K in the NHL and $450K in the minors.
Asplund hit the UFA market after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Nashville Predators. Nashville had acquired Asplund as some utility depth down the stretch, sending the Buffalo Sabres a 2025 seventh-round pick for him in March.
He’s a very strong shutdown forward and is worth a spot in most teams’ bottom six groups, making it a tad puzzling he’d receive a two-way deal. He’ll have to fight for the opportunity to stay in an everyday NHL role in Florida after the team bolstered their bottom six with acquisitions such as Evan Rodrigues, Kevin Stenlund, and Steven Lorentz while also earmarking a lineup spot for 2018 15th overall pick Grigori Denisenko.
The 25-year-old Swede recorded two goals, six assists, and eight points in 46 games last season, split between Buffalo and Nashville. Able to play both wing and center, he’s totaled 18 goals and 49 points in 183 NHL contests to date.
He is still a likely candidate to make the team out of camp, even though it may be as a 13th or 14th forward. He would allow the team to more comfortably return Zac Dalpe to AHL Charlotte, where he’s served as the team’s captain for the past two seasons. Injuries forced Florida to call him up for their playoff run, where he scored a goal and posted a -8 rating in 13 games.