The National Hockey League Players Association hosts an annual Rookie Showcase every summer for the players recognized as the most likely to make an impact at the NHL level in the near future.

This year's NHLPA Rookie Showcase is the 10th annual event and will be held at Toronto's Mastercard Center on Sunday August 26 with 26 prospects and rookies scheduled to attend.

This unique event allows access for trading card producer Upper Deck the opportunity to capture head shots, action shots and video vignettes of the best and brightest future NHLers.

Shockingly, Rasmus Dahlin, the first overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres is not invited to attend this photo opp.

Att få skriva på ett NHL kontrakt har varit min dröm sen jag började spela hockey! Nu har jag gjort det I Buffalo Sabres, det kunde inte vara bättre! Jag vill passa på att tacka min familj och alla i min närhet som har varit med och stöttat mig på vägen.

A post shared by Rasmus Dahlin (@rasmusdahlinn) on Jul 9, 2018 at 7:20am PDT

Why not? Rather anticlimactic to hold an invitation only prospect and rookie showcase and not have the best hockey prospect in the world in attendance. Perhaps there is a schedule conflict that is prohibiting Dahlin from attending the event.

Instead of Ramus Dahlin representing the Buffalo Sabres at the event, forward Rasmus Asplund (2nd rounder, 2016) was invited instead.

Vilken tavla @sandraahlmanart levererar, helt sjukt nöjd med den😍 helt klart en konstnär i världsklass så gå in och kolla hennes sida för att hitta fler tavlor eller varför inte beställa ett konstverk av henne😎

A post shared by Rasmus Asplund ® (@rasmusasplund) on Jul 24, 2018 at 7:02am PDT

Take note, the Sabres have three players named "Rasmus" in their organization:

Rasmus Ristolainen, Rasmus Dahlin, and Rasmus Asplund.

A Finn and a couple of Swedes.

I call the trio "The Rasmii".

Asplund is a helluva player in his own right and is certainly worthy of the praise he is receiving.

True. It would be bad form for NHLPA to scrawl "Other Rasmus" on the invitation, right?

— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) August 18, 2018

Last summer, Nico Hischier, the first overall pick at the 2017 NHL Draft did not attend the rookie prospect scrum.


Here is the confirmed roster for the 2018 NHLPA Rookie Showcase:



Goalies:

Carter Hart (Flyers)
Ilya Samsonov (Capitals)



Defensemen:

Evan Bouchard (Oilers)
Daniel Brickley (Kings)
Travis Dermott (Leafs)
Miro Heiskanen (Stars)
Timothy Liljegren (Leafs)
Juuso Valimaki (Flames)



Forwards:

Vitaly Abramov (Blue Jackets)
Rasmus Asplund (Sabres)
Rudolf Balcers (Sharks)
Drake Batherson (Senators)
Kieffer Bellows (Islanders)
Henrik Borgstrom (Panthers)
Ryan Donato (Bruins)
Dillon Dube (Flames)
Adam Gaudette (Canucks)
Jordan Greenway (Wild)
Jordan Kyrou (Blues)
Casey Mittelstadt (Sabres)
Michael Rasmussen (Red Wings)
Dylan Sikura (Blackhawks)
Nick Suzuki (Golden Knights)
Robert Thomas (Blues)
Gabriel Vilardi (Kings)
Filip Zadina (Red Wings)




***

Join the Discussion: » 3 Comments » Post New Comment

» Hailing Taxis

» He With The Gold Makes The Rules

» Sedentary Seven

» The Sedentary Seven

» GadZuccs