NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Aapeli Rasanen

Get to Know Aapeli Rasanen

Date of Birth: June 1, 1998 (18)
Place of Birth: Tampere, Finland
Ht: 6’0” Wt: 196 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
Team: Tappara (Jr. A SM-Liiga)

Statistics

What Scouts See

Steve Kournianos, thedraftanalyst.com

All signs point towards this special team’s dynamo becoming one of the better two-way players this draft produces. Not only does he do it all on the ice — playmaking, speed, escapability, tenacity, versatility — but he’s a student of the game who spends time honing his craft away from the rink. Rasanen clubbed the international circuit to a tune of almost a point per game, and he’s almost 200 pounds before turning 18 in June.

HockeyProspect.com Black Book
Rasanen is a hard-working right-shot two-way center who plays a sound game in the defensive zone and doesn’t mind sacrificing his body to make plays, as he is willing to engage in one and one battles. He’s got an active defensive stick, can cause turnover and is a quite good penalty killer.
Rasanen’s skating is only average, he can bring the puck up ice and has good enough vision to make plays. His puck skills are just OK and despite the improvement in his offensive game it is more realistic to project him as a checking forward at the next level, as he lacks a dynamic element to his game.

Future Considerations
Rasanen shows off his hockey IQ in ashes as he is responsible on the ice and is committed to a two-way game. He shows a fundamental understanding of his defensive responsibilities and backchecks hard. When defenders join rushes, he reads the plays and backs up the respective defenseman. He’s not a very physical or powerful player; he plays a more nesse-driven defensive game. Despite his playmaking ability, he projects best as more of a shutdown center at the highest level rather than an offensive source.

Highlights

NHL Potential
While Rasanen does have some quality offensive tools most scouts are attracted to him for his defensive game and project him as a bottom six shutdown center.

Expected Draft Position
While some scouting services are extremely low on Rasanen, ranking him as a late round prospect, most services consider him a late 2nd to 3rd rounder thanks to his impressive two-way play.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization
The failure to get professional play out of Conner Bleackley left a significant hole in the Avalanche’s prospect pool when it comes to two-way centermen. Rasanen doesn’t have the same upside that Bleackley did on his draft day, he would help to address that need and serve a similar role in the Avalanche’s system as well as in the team’s future as a defensively responsible depth center replacement.