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Red Wings of Tomorrow: Marco Kasper

Detroit Red Wings 2022 first-roud pick Marco Kasper has been playing in the SHL since the age of 16

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2 years ago

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Marco Kasper, Detroit Red WIngs
The Red Wings think 2022 first-round pick Marco Kasper can develop into an excellent two-way center.

Red Wings of Tomorrow is assessing every prospect in the Detroit Red Wings system and what they are projecting to be in the future. We’ll be looking at the strengths and weaknesses of their game, as well as what the future holds for them as they advance through the Detroit organization. Today, we look at center Marco Kasper

Marco Kasper

Position: Center

How Acquired: Drafted 8th overall (1st round) in the 2022 NHL Draft

2021-22 Stats: (GP-G-A-Pts) 46-7-4-11 (For Rogle, SHL)

Contract Status: Signed to three-year entry-level deal

Anticipated 2022-23 Team: Rogle (SHL)

Prospect Synopsis

What are the Red Wings getting in 2022 first-round draft choice Marco Kasper?

Simon Edvinsson, the man who preceded Kasper as Detroit’s top draft pick in 2021, offered up a scouting report on his new future teammate.

“I played against him with Rogle,” Edvinsson said. “A good player, a hard-working player.”

Kasper has already played at minimum parts of three seasons opposing men in the SHL. At the age of 16, he left his native Austria and his family relocated. enabling him to play pro in Sweden.

“Yeah, for sure it was a difficult decision to leave home, leave my family, but it’s been I think a good decision to go play in a better league against better competitors,” Kasper said. “That’s why I left home.”

Playing in Sweden has led to signicant evolution in his overall game. Much like the NHL, the Swedish League puts a major emphasis on playing the game well on the defensive side of the puck.

“It’s a really structured league,” Kasper said. “Bigger ice, Olympic-sized ice, really good players in that league. It’s definitely hard to play there because of the structure and I’m really focusing on my defensive game.”

Kasper’s maturity as a player led to more responsibility coming his way as Rogle was advancing toward what would ultimately be a victory in the European Champions League.

“We play a fast-paced game, try to get out of our own zone fast, go and get the puck and work in the offensive zone as much as possible and create scoring chances from there,” Kasper said. “It’s been great playing there.”

Estimated Time of Arrival in Detroit

It would be fair to classify Kasper as a boy among men. After all, he’s been playing in the SHL since age of 16. At the same time, that also gives him vast experience skating and battling against bigger, stronger players. That element should only serve him well as he’s seeking to make the next step to North American hockey, and then into the NHL.

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Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider is the gold standard among Yzerman’s Detroit draft picks. It took him two full seasons before making the move into the Red Wings lineup as a regular.

On the other hand. the Red Wings seem to believe that Edvinsson is in possession of a legitimate chance to play for the team next season. Kasper has already signed his entry-level contract with the Red Wings.

Still, based on that blueprint, it’s only logical to expect that it will be two years before anyone is seeing Kasper wearing the winged wheel.

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