Rask was 2 years old when he started playing hockey, and it wasn't long before the decision to put him on skates so soon in life began to pay dividends.

A left-hand shooting center, Rask moved quickly through the hockey programs around his hometown of Leksand, Sweden, and became a fixture on junior national teams.

Sweden won five medals during Rask's four years, including silver at the 2010 and 2011 World Under-18 Championship and gold at the 2012 World Junior Championship.

Following the second U-18 silver medal, the Hurricanes selected Rask in the second round (No. 42) in the 2011 NHL Draft.

In three years splitting time with Calgary of the Western Hockey League (47 goals, 104 points, 101 games) and Charlotte of the American Hockey League (17 goals, 44 points, 86 games), Rask made the Carolina Hurricanes roster out of training camp for the 2014-15 season.

Playing 80 games, Rask finished tied for fourth in points (33), tied for third in assists (22), fifth in goals (11) and ranked 10th among all NHL rookies in points.

Capable of working on any of the top three lines, Rask broke out as a goal-scorer a year later, scoring 21 times (second to Jeff Skinner's 28), and was second on the Hurricanes with 48 points.