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Detroit Red Wings

Can Kasper Offer Red Wings Ghost Of A Chance?

Rookie promoted to second-line status

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2 weeks ago

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Marco Kasper, Red Wings prospect
Red Wings rookie Marco Kasper is going to center Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat on the second line.

What’s perhaps most alarming about the 7-9-2 start to the season for the Detroit Red Wings is that unlike the teams beating them of late, they aren’t a rebuilding club opting to let a group of kids learn the hard way on the fly.

The Red Wings roster is showing an average age of 28.3 years. And yet, it’s several of these NHL-experienced veterans who haven’t been pulling their weight in terms of productivity.

Vladimir Tarasenko hasn’t scored a goal in 12 games. Patrick Kane has scored one goal in 11 games. JT Compher has one goal in his past 13 games.

To help turn this around – in fact, to seek a solution to the long-term problem the team has been dealing with concerning of a lack of production among the second forward unit – the Red Wings are turning to the youngest player on the roster.

Can Marco Kasper, 20, offer the Red Wings a ghost of a chance of righting this listing ship?

When the Red Wings play host to the New York Islanders on Thursday, they will be doing so with Kasper working in the middle of their second forward line. He’ll be at center between Kane and Alex DeBrincat.

Red Wings Kasper Offers Pace, High Hockey IQ

Kane, for one, believes this could prove to be a winning formula.

“I think just the way he can push the pace, the speed up the middle, how he drives in,” Kane said, listing Kasper’s attributes. “He’s got a good stick on the forecheck so he can help get some pucks back. But, yeah, I think the biggest thing is just pushing the pace up the middle, which is always fun to play with.”

Kasper has even been scoring of late, which was the one concern hockey people were sharing about his overall game. The young Austrian has two goals in the past three games.

“We were hoping it was going to come because he did have looks,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “He was doing so many things well and correctly. Glad it’s starting to go in the back of the net. There could be more there.”

With just 15 games under his belt, Kasper is calling this scenario “good pressure” for him to be facing.

“I’m just going to try to do my job,” Kasper said. “Work hard, find some open space and try to do my best and do a good job as a line.”

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