ECHL: Rapid City Rush Sign Swedish Forward

The Rapid City Rush have announced that they have signed 6’0″ forward Rasmus Ekström for the 2025-26 season.

Junior Career

Ekström spent his younger seasons playing for various teams back home in Sweden. He then made the move to North America in the 2023-24 season. Rasmus Ekström joined the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL, where he spent two seasons. In 102 games with the Chiefs, Ekström registered 41 goals and 43 assists for 84 points. In 21 playoff games, Ekström had eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. Serving as an alternate captain in the 2024-25 season, Ekström played in 65 games, where he had 26 goals and 29 assists for 55 points.

The Stockholm, Sweden native will be joining the Rush at just 20 years old. With that, it may take some time at the start of the season for Ekström to make the adjustment to the ECHL from the WHL. But once he has found his game with the Rush, Ekström could be a very lethal forward for the Rush. Ekström has a lot of skill and is able to get to the front of the net, whether it is bringing the puck to the net with him or getting in front of the net to pick up a rebound or deflection. He also brings a lot of speed, allowing him to create a lot of breakaways, and he has a very accurate and strong shot from the right faceoff circle, making him a threat both deep in the zone and from the top.