The Scouting Report:
Oskar Asplund from Uppsala, Sweden, born on November 18th, 2003, is a second-year draft-eligible prospect for the 2023 NHL entry draft in Nashville. Asplund has significantly raised his draft stock. With a mediocre three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 48 games during his 2021-22 season, Asplund made sure to really set a tone in his 2022-23 season. Posting six goals and 24 assists for 30 points in 49 games, Osker Asplund has really made a push for a stint in the SHL. For the 2023-24 season, Oskar Asplund is set to play with IK Oskarshamn in the SHL. Undersized compared to most defensemen, Oskar Asplund is 5’11” and 172 pounds.
Not Ranked by Inside The Rink
Ranked #58 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
Ranked #192 by McKeen’s Hockey
Conrad Jack of Inside the Rink has Oskar Asplund projected at 50th overall.
Oskar Asplund went undrafted in 2022 because he was unnoticed, the same may or may not happen again this year.
Diving Deeper:
Let’s take a deeper dive into Oskar Asplund’s attributes and areas for improvement.
Defensive Read:
Oskar Asplund has an incredible defensive read that is valued by NHL general managers, but the lack of eyes of Asplund has really been an issue for him. Oskar Asplund can be a strong NHL defensive defenseman and his ability to move the puck is probably the most standout part of his game.
Areas for Improvement:
I think there are two areas of Oskar Asplund’s game that he can improve on, his acceleration and speed aren’t overly concerning, but it is something that he needs to improve on. Oskar Asplund can improve on these with proper development, practice, and coaching.
Prospect Potential:
Oskar Asplund has the potential to be a bottom-pairing NHL defenseman, and it shows in his explosive season with Almtuna IS in HockeyAllsvenskan. I think any team should consider picking him up now unless they are hoping for a Thomas Milic situation with free-agent prospects.
Final Thoughts:
Given time and willingness on Oskar Asplund’s end, he can be incredibly valuable as an interchangeable depth piece in any team’s system.
Stats via Elite Prospects
Highlights via MyNHLDraft.com
