Prospect Info: 2022 8OA, Marco Kasper

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I think a lot of people also dont realize how low scoring the AHL actually is. The teams where younger players score like crazy often have serious flaws with their defensive games.

This season, in the top 20 AHL scorers a whopping total of 5 were over a point per game just for some context on the scoring. Kasper, as a 19 year old with no training in the offseason, was 4th in scoring on a really good AHL team. Outside of the scoring he played one of the biggest roles on the team, playing all situations, killing penalties, defending empty nets and being an absolute pest. I watched them live at the Van once this year, at forward, Kasper looked by far the most like an NHL player. Edvinsson was the only guy that looked similar as an "NHL" guy.

Theres questions about his offence, but anyone saying hes only a third liner right now are wrong. This is going to be a big year to see what hes got offensively. If he can become a 60 point guy in the NHL, with everything else he does... a lot of fan bases are going to be very jealous

Dude I appreciate you saying this but I’ve been pounding the table saying the same thing for months. Even with breakdowns these dudes ignore it because it doesn’t fit their narrative of Kasper = bad.

 

[Euro Twins]

Dude I appreciate you saying this but I’ve been pounding the table saying the same thing for months. Even with breakdowns these dudes ignore it because it doesn’t fit their narrative of Kasper = bad.


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I don't even understand how people can say Kasper is bad without even having any NHL action

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I don't even understand how people can say Kasper is bad without even having any NHL action

Because he’s not scoring as much as Matt Savoie did in juniors who was traded for a 2nd round pick recently. Or insert random 5’10” winger scorer from junior.

In terms of importance, scoring potential and game impact potential I can’t point to anyone drafted after Kasper save for Danila Yurov that looks to have the potential for a bigger impact to their team’s standings. And I’d argue that Kasper looks to be more impactful than at least 2, maybe 3 of the 7 drafted ahead of him.

 

[DoMakc]

Because he’s not scoring as much as Matt Savoie did in juniors who was traded for a 2nd round pick recently. Or insert random 5’10” winger scorer from junior.

In terms of importance, scoring potential and game impact potential I can’t point to anyone drafted after Kasper save for Danial Yurov that looks to have the potential for a bigger impact to their team’s standings. And I’d argue that Kasper looks to be more impactful than at least 2, maybe 3 of the 7 drafted ahead of him.

Savoie was traded for a 4th line center

 

[Euro Twins]

And they might not be. I asked you about the rest of the panthers because they’re a superior team. Their wingers are better than Detroit’s. Their defense is better than Detroit’s. Their goaltending is light years better than Detroit’s. It’s more than just center ppg being similar. There’s a reason they won the cup and Detroit was out of the postseason.

Lol. Imagine a conversation about centers and comparable centers to the Stanley Cup champion. Yet somehow trying to throw a fit about wingers and defense.

Literally no one talking about anything but what a potential center can bring the the team

Ogee: WeRe NoT aS gOoD aS fLoRiDa ThOuGh

Talk about looking for the most obscure reason to reach into an angry fit

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Savoie was traded for a 4th line center

That’s not better. My point still stands.

Lol. Imagine a conversation about centers and comparable centers to the Stanley Cup champion. Yet somehow trying to throw a fit about wingers and defense.

Literally no one talking about anything but what a potential center can bring the the team

Ogee: WeRe NoT aS gOoD aS fLoRiDa ThOuGh

Talk about looking for the most obscure reason to reach into an angry fit

I made that comment because Hennka’s argument is that Detroit’s centers are about as good as Floridas based on PPG. There’s missing context that shows Detroit isn’t because the PPG of their centers isn’t as important in the grand scheme when EVERY SINGLE CENTER ON DETROIT IS WAY WORSE DEFENSIVELY THAN EVERY CENTER ON FLORIDA.

Edit:

 

[norrisnick]

That’s not better. My point still stands.



I made that comment because Hennka’s argument is that Detroit’s centers are about as good as Floridas based on PPG. There’s missing context that shows Detroit isn’t because the PPG of their centers isn’t as important in the grand scheme when EVERY SINGLE CENTER ON DETROIT IS WAY WORSE DEFENSIVELY THAN EVERY CENTER ON FLORIDA.

Edit:

X to doubt.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

X to doubt.

Barkov is a Selke level 1st line center. Top 3 in the league.
Larkin is a decent two-way center but he’s not getting any Selke votes. Top 15 center.

Bennett is a solid, agitating defensive center. Somewhere in the 35-45 range.
Compher is good defensively but lacks an edge. Somewhere in the 45-60 range.

Lundell tilts the ice despite lower point totals. Probably in the 45-60 range.
Copp doesn’t tilt shit. Mid to bad 3rd line center. 75-90 range.

Veleno and…ah f*** it. I got depressed and lost interest while writing this.

 

[norrisnick]

Barkov is a Selke level 1st line center. Top 3 in the league.
Larkin is a decent two-way center but he’s not getting any Selke votes. Top 15 center.

Bennett is a solid, agitating defensive center. Somewhere in the 35-45 range.
Compher is good defensively but lacks an edge. Somewhere in the 45-60 range.

Lundell tilts the ice despite lower point totals. Probably in the 45-60 range.
Copp doesn’t tilt shit. Mid to bad 3rd line center. 75-90 range.

Veleno and…ah f*** it. I got depressed and lost interest while writing this.

Tilting the ice is not defense. Neither is agitation.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Tilting the ice is not defense.

It most certainly is when it starts from chance suppression, winning your battles and getting the puck out of your zone.

 

[norrisnick]

It most certainly is when it starts from chance suppression, winning your battles and getting the puck out of your zone.

Barkov is the only guy that's legitimately better than all our guys defensively. And your claim was that all of theirs are better than all of ours, defensively. That's just silliness.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Barkov is the only guy that's legitimately better than all our guys defensively. And your claim was that all of theirs are better than all of ours, defensively. That's just silliness.

Wait. You seriously think Copp, Compher and Veleno are better defensively than Florida’s 2nd to 4th line centers?

 

[norrisnick]

Wait. You seriously think Copp, Compher and Veleno are better defensively than Florida’s 2nd to 4th line centers?

You think Florida's 4th line center is better defensively than all of ours. That's exponentially sillier.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

You think Florida's 4th line center is better defensively than all of ours. That's exponentially sillier.

Let me rephrase: when matched up, 1 to 1, 4 to 4, they are.

 

[norrisnick]

Let me rephrase: when matched up, 1 to 1, 4 to 4, they are.

I'd still argue that one of Copp or Compher swapped with Bennett or Lundell would be just as effective defensively. And it'll be interesting to see how Florida's blueline looks losing two top 4 guys this coming season. That'll impact the team defense for sure.

 

[Gniwder]

I don't even understand how people can say Kasper is bad without even having any NHL action

Bad players never even make the NHL. It's actually more absurd to say he's good without seeing him in the NHL.

Not to mention good and bad are relative terms that factors in draft position. If Marco becomes a 30 - 40 pt 3rd line winger/center like Raz, is that good or bad? Not a lot of people here are happy with Raz despite his "grit" and an epic angry face. Marco was picked earlier than Raz.

I don't think Kasper will bust completely like Zadina, but at the same time I think he'll be a disappointment like Raz relative to his draft position. I hope I'm wrong, and he winds up being a late bloomer like some of the players mentioned previously, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

 

[Euro Twins]

That’s not better. My point still stands.



I made that comment because Hennka’s argument is that Detroit’s centers are about as good as Floridas based on PPG. There’s missing context that shows Detroit isn’t because the PPG of their centers isn’t as important in the grand scheme when EVERY SINGLE CENTER ON DETROIT IS WAY WORSE DEFENSIVELY THAN EVERY CENTER ON FLORIDA.

Edit:

You got some numbers to back up that claim?

 

[Perfect Human]

Bad players never even make the NHL. It's actually more absurd to say he's good without seeing him in the NHL.

Not to mention good and bad are relative terms that factors in draft position. If Marco becomes a 30 - 40 pt 3rd line winger/center like Raz, is that good or bad? Not a lot of people here are happy with Raz despite his "grit" and an epic angry face. Marco was picked earlier than Raz.

I don't think Kasper will bust completely like Zadina, but at the same time I think he'll be a disappointment like Raz relative to his draft position. I hope I'm wrong, and he winds up being a late bloomer like some of the players mentioned previously, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

I agree with this in its core. Expectations for Kasper should be tempered, he can play in the NHL-he literally already has-but at what level and what usage?

Ideally, his drive turns him into a Kessler type forward. Line driving but more bolstered by skilled players around him. He should be the first one back, kill penalties, and play second PP. he should hit 60 points at his peak but average 45-55 pts.

 

[lilidk]

I don't know how good Kasper is, but he's better than Veleno, for sure

 

[Gniwder]

I'd still argue that one of Copp or Compher swapped with Bennett or Lundell would be just as effective defensively. And it'll be interesting to see how Florida's blueline looks losing two top 4 guys this coming season. That'll impact the team defense for sure.

Copp and Compher are so soft that Lundell has almost as many hits as both of them combined. I don't think Copp ever recovered from the core muscle injury, he rarely touches anyone, and he'd get chewed up alive in the playoffs.

To mention Bennett in the same conversation as the other 3 players is just asinine.

 

[Euro Twins]

Bad players never even make the NHL. It's actually more absurd to say he's good without seeing him in the NHL.

Not to mention good and bad are relative terms that factors in draft position. If Marco becomes a 30 - 40 pt 3rd line winger/center like Raz, is that good or bad? Not a lot of people here are happy with Raz despite his "grit" and an epic angry face. Marco was picked earlier than Raz.

I don't think Kasper will bust completely like Zadina, but at the same time I think he'll be a disappointment like Raz relative to his draft position. I hope I'm wrong, and he winds up being a late bloomer like some of the players mentioned previously, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

So you have to say he's good or bad? You can't just watch his development?

Making a definitive statement like he's automatically bad because he didn't score enough AHL points as a developing 19 year old in his first season in the AHL is wild.

Following that up with the "I hope I'm wrong" trope so you can cover your clairvoyant assessments is always a funny way to cap it off, as if that clears you of any liability of statement.

I'd like to see all you hindsight scouts get real scouting jobs that way you can show the fools in those positions how bad they are

 

[norrisnick]

Copp and Compher are so soft that Lundell has almost as many hits as both of them combined. I don't think Copp ever recovered from the core muscle injury, he rarely touches anyone, and he'd get chewed up alive in the playoffs.

To mention Bennett in the same conversation as the other 3 players is just asinine.

Hits are so fundamentally useless as a defensive metric...

 

[Nnowski]

Hits are so fundamentally useless as a defensive metric...

Well Copp doesn't hit, and his defensive metrics are terrible if that makes any difference lol

 

[norrisnick]

Well Copp doesn't hit, and his defensive metrics are terrible if that makes any difference lol

He's been the primary defensive matchup center for two seasons on a non-playoff team and is +4 in even strength goal differential. No one is winning a Selke from a bad team.

 

[jkutswings]

Not to mention good and bad are relative terms that factors in draft position. If Marco becomes a 30 - 40 pt 3rd line winger/center like Raz, is that good or bad? Not a lot of people here are happy with Raz despite his "grit" and an epic angry face. Marco was picked earlier than Raz.

I don't think Kasper will bust completely like Zadina, but at the same time I think he'll be a disappointment like Raz relative to his draft position. I hope I'm wrong, and he winds up being a late bloomer like some of the players mentioned previously, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

I'm not going to pretend that I know exactly where Kasper ends up in the lineup. But I'd be outright stunned if he isn't noticeably better than Rasmussen in at least the areas of physicality and overall intensity. A 30 point player who is soft as butter seems like a pretty poor direction to steer the Kasper thread.