Rasanen is a pass-first player who uses his smart understanding of the game, vision and accurate pass to set up linemates. A shifty skater with good hands, Rasanen is constantly moving his feet and trying to create plays. On the other hand, his foot speed and overall mobility are only average. He can get caught behind the play at times due to a lack of speed. He drives hard to the net, and has a knack for maintaining puck control and protecting it through traffic. He battles hard, and uses good vision to find teammates in open ice, feeding them with soft passes. He shows his hockey sense in his decision-making and displays good understanding of the game. Rasanen makes smart decisions with the puck and is a calm puck carrier, even when he attacks using his one-on-one puckhandling skills. His shot, while hard, is not always a strength as his accuracy is inconsistent. He is employed on both the penalty kill and power play, and he wins most of his faceoffs. Rasanen shows off his hockey IQ in flashes as he is responsible on the ice and is committed to a two-way game. He shows a fundamental understanding of his defensive responsibilities and backchecks hard. When defenders join rushes, he reads the plays and backs up the respective defenseman. He’s not a very physical or powerful player; he plays a more finesse-driven defensive game. Despite his playmaking ability, he projects best as more of a shutdown center at the highest level rather than an offensive source.   (May 2016)