Prospect Info: 2022 8OA, Marco Kasper

[Luceni]

Nice to see that he gets some recognition here. He wasn't bad the first 20-25 games, he was badly misused, which lead to posters who said he's to go down to develope his offensive game.

His offense was always there, it's just hard to produce on a 4th line with about 10min TOI per night.

The future is bright for Kasper & Red Wings.

 

[GarlicbreadTB]

Kasper could be a poor man’s Toews to me, if we are going with a ceiling. Like I really believe he has a lot of the same traits as the prime version. His game is straight forward but he wills it to existence sort of which is hard to describe. Again really impressed with him, when guys make big strides like this we should all be happy.

I don’t think he will have quite the defense, but he is going to do a lot of damage at home plate going to hard areas and playing a complete game with physicality. He gets the game and is willing to sacrifice. That is an elite trait for people that talk great skill set but not elite. Curious to see how he builds. I think you should have confidence he will work hard enough, seems a ton of that like Larkin, Raymond and Seider. Debrincat and Edvinsson compete hard, I think that will be important to the group we are trying to build.

Considering the state of the 2022 Draft. Getting a player like that out of it, is a job very well done.

 

[ridilon]

In the past 14 games if Kasper gets on the score sheet the Wings win. If he's a goose-egg, all losses. Hehe.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Nice to see that he gets some recognition here. He wasn't bad the first 20-25 games, he was badly misused, which lead to posters who said he's to go down to develope his offensive game.

His offense was always there, it's just hard to produce on a 4th line with about 10min TOI per night.

Eh, he averaged over 14 minutes. I wouldn't say he was that badly misused, although it's an example of why most rookies aren't playing full-time center or at least getting paired with quality players to ease things a bit.

But really, a huge factor is just puck luck:

Under Lalonde: 4.8sh%, 4.0 on-ice SH%
Under McLellan: 16.2sh%, 8.2 on-ice SH%

He deserved far better production than he was getting early in the season.

 

[Run the Jewels]

I think anyone who has watched Bennett the last two playoff runs would have to agree with you. Higher end offence would definitely be nice but a 25 goal, 50 point center thats great defensively and will absolutely truck guys is a great result for where Kasper was picked

Pacing for 28 goals and 23 assists since McLellan was hired.

 

[19 for president]

Eh, he averaged over 14 minutes. I wouldn't say he was that badly misused, although it's an example of why most rookies aren't playing full-time center or at least getting paired with quality players to ease things a bit.

But really, a huge factor is just puck luck:

Under Lalonde: 4.8sh%, 4.0 on-ice SH%
Under McLellan: 16.2sh%, 8.2 on-ice SH%

He deserved far better production than he was getting early in the season.

I think the biggest difference is who he was playing with. Playing with Ray & Larkin really opened him up to play to his offensive strength which is driving the net and skating the puck. It also helped his confidence. Now he's taking that confidence and applying it with two very creative wingers in Kane/DBC. He's still allowed to play his game offensively, and is learning a bit more on when he can cheat at center.

Kasper right now is the perfect smart complimentary player for guys with high IQ. He gets himself open, he skates hard to the net, he doesn't cheat defensively, and he trusts his linemates to get open. On the lines he played with early in the season he was relied upon to generate the offensive. That's incredibly hard for any rookie, let alone one playing center.

I was absolutely pro him going to the AHL when Lalonde had him slogging away on defensive lines, because I didn't want to see him just develop his defensive tools. This happened to Flip back in the day under Babcock, and I feel like his offensive game ever really developed because of it. I'm thrilled that Mac gave him the trust to really be a top 6 player this season, and its paying off. He is becoming more and more confident and I'm curious to see if he can keep this kind of scoring pace up at center with DBC/ Kane.

I think its important to give young two way guys the time and freedom to develop their offensive games. Its one thing if its a guy that stinks on D, but when they are as good as Kasper (and Danielson) I think its very important to encourage their offensive game.