Eemeli Rasanen told EOTP writer Scott Malta at the draft combine “I like hit people”. I went to the Frontenacs / IceDogs game on Friday night to see if this was true with the much maligned eye test.
It is.
Whenever the IceDogs got too close to the Fronts net, or when he had an opportunity to smear someone along the boards he took it. That’s not to say that’s his entire game. The 6’7” 226lb defender does his fair share of hitting, but he has defensive moves as well. On the penalty kill Rasanen guards the blue line like a seasoned vet, not allowing anyone to get far enough away from him to escape a bear hug if he wanted to give one.