The Red Wings announced this morning that they’ve recalled center Marco Kasper from AHL Grand Rapids under emergency conditions. No corresponding transaction is needed with an open spot on the 23-man roster. Still, the move suggests an injury or other absence is pending for one of Detroit’s 12 forwards on the active roster, who all suited up in last night’s 5-2 loss to the Rangers.
Kasper, 20, was the eighth overall pick of the 2022 draft, a class that’s yielded just two players with more than an entire season’s worth of NHL experience thus far in Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovský and Utah’s Logan Cooley. The Austrian center went a tad ahead of his expected 10th-20th overall range, and he still needs to continue developing his offensive game if he’s going to warrant that high of a selection. He’s on the right track to start this season, though, posting a goal and an assist in two games for Grand Rapids after being limited to 35 points (14 G, 21 A) in 71 games in his first campaign with the farm club last season.
The one-time Champions Hockey League winner with the Swedish Hockey League’s Rögle BK has just one NHL appearance to his name so far, logging nearly 15 minutes with a shot on goal and three hits against the Maple Leafs on April 2, 2023. All indications point to him adding to that total against the Predators tomorrow.
Nonetheless, Kasper remains an extremely cerebral center with the defensive upside of a reliable bottom-six pivot in a worst-case scenario for his development. He was one of Detroit’s final cuts from training camp and should get multiple looks in the NHL this season, even if he doesn’t establish himself as a full-time roster fixture until next season or beyond.
nothing is going to fix this team’s lack luster style of hockey. Yzerman needs to sack up & fire LaLonde.
Valuable points are slipping away. Something has to be done to get off the basement floor.
LOL, bring out the torches and pitchforks! 3 loses and 2 were against a team that is projected to be on par with FLA to vie for the SCF appearance!
it’s not that they only played so few games. It is how they look, PP horrible. PK horrible. Goalies Horrible. Offense HORRIBLE. There is NO compete in them. They looked like as if they played the whole season already and looked defeated. Correct the ship NOW, before there is no chance of bouncing back. Fire the coach. Shake things up. I can’t believe Yzerman is letting it go with this gut for 3 seasons already.
I hope he’s here to stay.
Please give him a chance to play with some offensive wingers. Sticking him on the fourth line with Fischer and Veleno would be dumb.
Take away minutes from Copp and Rasmussen. Those are the two guys that have been killing us. Their lack of production per minute of ice time has hindered us. But Lalonde and Yzerman continue to stick up for those two guys all the time with their “200 foot player” BS.
Give Kasper a chance. I like the kids game. He’s got untapped offensive potential as well.