Prospect Info: 2022 8OA, Marco Kasper

[Gniwder]

Interesting how people are talking about that bad shooting skill.

That could already be improved at last season, but because of the weak start, the stats somewhat could lie.

Last season last 5 AHL games, 2 goals in 5 games.
AHL playoff games, 4 goals in 9 games.
Wings pre-season games, 2 goals in 4 games (individual xG was 1.03, so he overachieved)
New AHL season, 1 goal in 2 games.

So at last 20 games in total, Kasper has scored 9 goals. 9+5=14 points in 20 games.

His shooting percentage:
2023-24 AHL-season: 9.2%
2024 AHL playoffs: 13.3%
2024 NHL pre-season 18.8%
2024-25 AHL-season 20.0%

The trend is up.

You are indeed the master of small sample size, one soft goal like the second preseason goal boosts his average to Tanguay level (18.56% career, 21st all time).

One thing that's noticeable is that he doesn't shoot enough.

 

[RRhoads]

Kasper gets a lot of chances alone one on one with the goalie. He needs to convert more of those.

 

[raymond23]

I was messing around in the edge stats and I noticed Kasper is in the 99th percentile for miles skated per 60, which I thought was pretty cool

 

[nhlisawesome]

Does this guy have any sort of scoring ability whatsoever is my concern

 

[Henkka]

Kasper gets a lot of chances alone one on one with the goalie. He needs to convert more of those.

Or he needs to assist a perfect pass for a linemate.

Fool the goalie, and make a superior pass.

That's a real hockeyplayer.

Kasper gets a lot of chances alone one on one with the goalie. He needs to convert more of those.

Sounds like Darren Helm.

Does this guy have any sort of scoring ability whatsoever is my concern

Sounds like Darren Helm.

I was messing around in the edge stats and I noticed Kasper is in the 99th percentile for miles skated per 60, which I thought was pretty cool

View attachment 927819

Sounds like Darren Helm.

Or maybe Kris Draper.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

I'm leaning toward sending him back down. He's got what it takes to play in the NHL, but he needs to bake a while longer.

 

[Oddbob]

I'm leaning toward sending him back down. He's got what it takes to play in the NHL, but he needs to bake a while longer.

What temp? 375°? 425°? 500°?

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

What temp? 375°? 425°? 500°?

350.

This wings team is shit, and while I’d love to have Kasper up, I’d like to see him in an offensive role a bit more.

 

[Snuggs]

I'd just keep him up and start playing him with better players like Kane/Raymond.

Berggren would be traded/waived. Does he actually do anything?

 

[cvaicunas]

I was messing around in the edge stats and I noticed Kasper is in the 99th percentile for miles skated per 60, which I thought was pretty cool

View attachment 927819

Cool stat. I think it clearly shows while watching game play. He is always back defensively. In truth I think his play has allowed a line with Tank and Burgers to work. His defensive play keeps that line from getting hemmed in defensively.

 

[GarlicbreadTB]

Of course he's never gonna be an attacking juggernaut. But I wonder the way we play actually gets best out of him. Like his line is doing a lot of good things but feels like they never get to those great scoring chances just spinning around the boards.

 

[raymond23]

Such a useful player already and it's all up from here

He had one play last night where he received a loose puck through his legs at speed and stick lifted the defender at the same time, it was so clean

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Such a useful player already and it's all up from here

He had one play last night where he received a loose puck through his legs at speed and stick lifted the defender at the same time, it was so clean

Not offensively. I'm very disappointed in him and Berggren offensively this year. Literally giving us nothing at all. Combined they have two points (zero goals) in 22 games...

 

[lilidk]

He is already our second line center.

 

[Gniwder]

Sounds like Darren Helm.

It's funny how people react negatively only when I say that. I remember when Helm started out slow then put up 24 then 32 points. I thought he was going to develop into a really good 3C, then he blew up his back and was never the same.

I hope they develop Kasper into something more than another 30 pts player like Helm/Raz/Joey/Copp. Ray is the only forward that's developed properly under Stevie, but he showed offense in preseason when he came over. It's easier to gain weight than learn offense.

 

[Oddbob]

I don't know why we can't play him with Larkin, or Ray. When you watch highlights of other teams games, their top prospects see ice time with the top lines, without always needing to earn it. I agree with the thought that it if you play him in a certain role, he may never get past that role. At least give him a chance in a higher up scoring role.

We can make excuses all we want, but 1 assist through 9 games is not exciting or hopeful. Chances are great, but if the chances never get buried for actual pts, they are pretty much useless. Same thing for Berggren. The chances need to be goals at some point. At this point, playing them with Tank is not playing them with an offensive threat. Tank seems to be done at the NHL level in being a regular pt producer, at least based on his play thus far.

They should put Kasper up with Ray and Compher for a game or two and see what happens. Not sure why we need Copp and Compher on the same line.

 

[Shaman464]

I don't know why we can't play him with Larkin, or Ray. When you watch highlights of other teams games, their top prospects see ice time with the top lines, without always needing to earn it. I agree with the thought that it if you play him in a certain role, he may never get past that role. At least give him a chance in a higher up scoring role.

We can make excuses all we want, but 1 assist through 9 games is not exciting or hopeful. Chances are great, but if the chances never get buried for actual pts, they are pretty much useless. Same thing for Berggren. The chances need to be goals at some point. At this point, playing them with Tank is not playing them with an offensive threat. Tank seems to be done at the NHL level in being a regular pt producer, at least based on his play thus far.

They should put Kasper up with Ray and Compher for a game or two and see what happens. Not sure why we need Copp and Compher on the same line.

Detroit is currently bottom 5 in offense. Why would Detroit move a guy who doesn't seem to be able to score at the NHL level to the top line? To score even less goals?

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Cool stat. I think it clearly shows while watching game play. He is always back defensively. In truth I think his play has allowed a line with Tank and Burgers to work. His defensive play keeps that line from getting hemmed in defensively.

But his linemates don't do enough to alleviate his defensive burden and allow the line to become a legitimate threat. Burgers has flat out sucked save for maybe 3 games, and Tank is not looking like an improvement on Perron.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Thing is here, we kind of have to look at the positives vs negatives realistically from Kasper ten games into his NHL career;

+ Defensive awareness/commitment, puck retrieval
+ Puck control and speed in transition
+ Controlled zone entries
+ Board play
+ Playmaking and vision

- Shooting in tight space and from distance
- Driving actual offensive results that show on the scoresheet

As a center, Kasper's play thus far as a 20 year old would suggest that he's just hanging in there more than fine. However he's gonna need some time to put up numbers. To develop his offense, he needs players that aren't struggling with putting up offensive results themselves

We lack a skilled offensive #2C that's good for around ~60 points. Love Compher, but he's best at #3C mucking it up

For example, if we had Nazem Kadri (maybe not for his contract term) or Mikael Granlund (a bit smaller C, but UFA next year), we could push Kasper to the wing and let him get his offense going on the top line. He's clearly competent defensively as a C in the NHL already and showing offensive flashes, so let him loose on the wing with our best guys. I feel Larkin and him would work really well off one another. Not to mention another skilled puck hound like Raymond right there with them

We could run:

Kasper - Larkin - Raymond
Debrincat - [[Kadri/Granlund]] - Kane
Copp - Compher - Tarasenko/Berggren
Rasmussen - Veleno - Fischer

Berggren might have to be a trade casualty here. I just don't think he's going to work out in Detroit and I would be happy if he took off like Zetterlund did once NJ shipped him to SJ via the Meier trade. I wish Tarasenko would get going. We need something from him offensively

Yzerman (if he doesn't claim Fabbro) does need to add that RHD still. We're getting great play from our top pairing and goalies at the moment. Inconsistent bottom 4D but I just don't think our 2nd line is enough of a threat to score. I think we need to splash for that scoring #2C that's on like a 1 or 2 year contract at the moment more than anything to keep up with Debrincat and Kane as they are primarily passengers at this point

 

[Oddbob]

Detroit is currently bottom 5 in offense. Why would Detroit move a guy who doesn't seem to be able to score at the NHL level to the top line? To score even less goals?

To play him with guys who aren't struggling themselves. Right now that line is 3 players not scoring, so them all on the same line is bad coaching at the very least. Kasper has some skill, he has shown it (needs to more often), but despite the love affair around here for Berggren, so far he is not an NHL scorer, and Tank is either done at this level as a threat, not interested right now or hasn't adjusted to whatever style we play.

Playing Copp on the 2nd line sure isn't helping us score, and honestly neither is Compher, so they don't both NEED to be on the top 2 lines.

If he isn't ready for top 6, then I want Kasper back in GR where he can work on his offensive game.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

I wasn't sure where he was ultimately going to end up as: was he going to just be his floor of a physical, shutdown depth C, like a John Madden or Craig Conroy. Was he going to be more of an agitating pest who was better served with less responsibilities and play more into his in-your-face style like a bigger Marchand, or Bertuzzi? Or was he going to be something else?

From the brief handful of games at the pro level: he's something else. He has been tossed into a 2/3 C role, and really the absolutely best thing for DET, is that they can move Copp and Compher together and not utterly wreck the other line. But the kid has been asked to step in and at no point in this run have I been like "Oh, he's in way over his head". He has not looked out of place at all taking Middle 6 C responsibility at all. What is clear is that he is absolutely supposed to be a Center in the league. He puck pursuit and pressure deep in the zone, and net front is really noticeable. His speed and skating to get north south and back into the middle of the defensive zone is also really solid.

So where's the offensive upside? I think its there for a couple of reasons. He does what all good centers do, he makes his wingers look more dangerous which I can absolutely say that Burger is buzzing a lot more with Kasper than I've seen him outside of the hot run from a season and half ago with Copp. Similarly, despite thinking Tarasenko is literally the deadest of weight, he looks "more dangerous" since being moved to Kasper. I don't think he's trying any harder and playing any differently, but Kasper is getting him the puck at better times in motion or in space. The other major point here is that Kasper looked better in the AHL offensively. Weird, I know. But he always has kind of played a...meat and potatoes game. Not a lot of flash to it but effective and to the point. A lot of the more higher skill moves he pulled off in the AHL, I haven't seen him even attempt yet. I think he is just trying to keep things very simple and fundamental. Sound hockey, and not making any unnecessary moves. The guy will open up more and more as he gets more comfortable and you'll begin to see some of his offense. But I would expect for the more immediate future for him to get on the sheet grinding around the crease and cleaning up rebounds. That does not mean he's not capable. Know that Kasper is a lot more Kesler and than he is Copp.

Can't be more excited about this kid

 

[Filppula]

I'd just keep him up and start playing him with better players like Kane/Raymond.

Berggren would be traded/waived. Does he actually do anything?

Are you watching? Or stat watching? Berggren looks goood. He is skating hard, creating chances. The whole team struggles to score at ES.

 

[cvaicunas]

But his linemates don't do enough to alleviate his defensive burden and allow the line to become a legitimate threat. Burgers has flat out sucked save for maybe 3 games, and Tank is not looking like an improvement on Perron.

Right, Tank has been subpar at best. I think Burgers had a couple slow games to start, and has increased his play as of late. I think this all speaks to Kasper's claim to being ready to stay with the team. That said, I'm not sure anyone who suggests he may be better off in the AHL focusing on his offense is wrong either. Odd place to be it seems

 

[RED WINGS STOMP]

He, like the entire offense 5v5 is snake bitten.

Dude is already useful, show patience, the points will come.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

He, like the entire offense 5v5 is snake bitten.

Dude is already useful, show patience, the points will come.

his line was buzzing all night. He had a good game