Detroit Red Wings
Kasper Answering All The Questions For Red Wings
Detroit rookie has five goals in the past nine games

Talking to hockey people both inside and outside the Detroit Red Wings organization, there was never any doubt that Marco Kasper was going to evolve into a very useful NHL player.
One question kept coming up in every conversation about the young forward from Austria.
Would he score at the NHL level?
Through the first 35 games of his NHL career, the answer was no. Kasper scored once over that span.
Who ya gonna call? 👻 Marco Kasper gets us going! 🚨#LGRW pic.twitter.com/OQU3vobQiD
— FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (@FanDuelSN_DET) January 26, 2025
Ever since, he’s been lighting red lamps at an impressive pace. Kasper has five goals over Detroit’s past nine games.
Kasper Finding His Footing
What’s proving to be the difference? A lot of elements, actually.
Confidence is certainly a factor in the equation. The more a player scores, the more he comes to expect to score.
“His confidence has to be high right now,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “If it isn’t, then shame on him.”
Opportunity is another reason for his offensive outburst. Kasper is now skating on the wing on Detroit’s top line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. He’s playing big minutes and getting plenty of chance to play in the offensive zone.
“If you’re only getting eight minutes a night, you’re probably sitting on the bench worried about those eight minutes and getting scored on,” McLellan said. “When you play up there, you don’t even have time to think.
“You get back to the bench, you’re tired, you jump out again.”
Mostly, though, it’s been about taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him. Kasper is thriving in a role where before him, the likes of Vladimir Tarasenko, Joe Veleno and Michael Rasmussen were all failing to deliver the goods.
Red Wings Found A Player In Kasper
There’s never been any question mark about Kasper’s hockey sense. He thinks the game well and quickly. That enables him to play with a level of pace allowing him to keep up with Larkin and Raymond. It also permits him to read the play, anticipate and go to the right spots when playing with two high-end skill players.
The majority of Kasper’s goals are not of the highlight-reel variety. Take his game winner on Saturday in Detroit’s 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kasper went to the net front and got his stick on a JT Compher shot, redirecting it past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Marco Kasper snaps one home to double the lead for Detroit! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1XpHLen0yX
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 17, 2025
His goals are the result of hockey IQ plays. Tips. Redirects. Rebounds. It’s about knowing there the puck is going before it gets there, and then being there at the right time and place to get to it.
“He’s finding his way around the net,” McLellan said. “He’s getting good looks and good opportunities.”
How Many Will He Get?
Based on his current pace, over an 82-game season Kasper would be good for 14 goals. In truth, if he could be a 15-goal scorer, considering all the other attributes Kasper brings to the ice, the Red Wings would be satisfied. Were he to become a 20-goal scorer, they’d be absolutely delighted.
“Would we like him to score 50 goals?,” McLellan asked. “Yeah, we would, but it’s unrealistic.
“If we can get him just to chip in as the year goes on and he continues to grow and doesn’t give anything back, he’ll be a great player.”
No surprise.
I’ve always had a higher evaluation of Kasper than most. He’s fast, good hands, high IQ and an insatiable work ethic. 15 goals is a low bar for Kasper. He will prove to be a cornerstone piece of the Red Wings’ future.
Younger guys are getting more of an opportunity and taking advantage of that. None of that was happening under Mr. Lalonde. Maybe it happened some earlier in his tenure but this last year it seemed like he was looking over his shoulder and coaching for his job the whole time. You cant played scared or work scared all the time. Players and coaches both make mistakes. You have to be allowed to make them and learn from them. You just cannot make too many of them.
Still need a constant net front presence player ,who is good at deflections.