Quoting: sabres89
True. Asplund has the rest of the season to claim a spot in the middle 6. Whether he does or doesnt is on him, its on him to show he can produce offense too.
Just looking at the players we’re expected to have up from next year…. I think Asplund might end up on the checking line regardless of how he does offensively this season
Reason being…. who else fits on that line when it comes to being effective defensively?
Here’s how i see it shaping out:
Asplund-Girgs-Okposo for the checking line
For the other 9 slots:
Skinner, Olofsson, Thompson, Tuch, Cozens, Mitts, Quinn, Peterka, Krebs
I just don’t think any of those other 9 guys could reasonably fit on the checking line
I just don’t think any of them really have that skill set
MAYBE Cozens & Krebs develop into good 2way players….
But with their ceilings offensively, i don’t think it’s smart to put them in a defensive role at this stage of their development
Only other possibility i could see would be Bjork on that checking line
That would be an “ok” fit imo
But the problem would then be that one of Krebs, Quinn or Peterka would have to start the season in Rochester
That wouldn’t be the end of the world,
as whoever started down there would likely be called up with the first injury that would occur
But again….
Asplund seems to fit into a 2way role on the checking line
Maybe his offensive talent could even help facilitate that “checking” line turning into more of a “2way” unit
And that would obviously be a good thing imo