Prospect Info: #8OA, Marco Kasper

[jkutswings]

I don't doubt Yzerman but he'll have to be the greatest Austrian to ever play in the NHL to be considered even a modest success.

If drinking, and I am, and if that provides great hockey insight, it does, Elijah Craig and I think this was a terrible pick. We'd have preferred Frank Nazar.

No offense to you and Elijah, but 8th overall would need to beat these career stats, "to be considered even a modest success"?

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That's over a thousand games and nearly 800 points. At 8 overall, that's a grand slam of a pick.

 

[SpitfireG]

DET pick Kasper was a sure bet even half year prior the draft. Yzerman & team never pick upon draft ranking.

Kasper is a best prospect in SHL and his development was under control Lindstrom team like it was with a Seider

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He promise to become a perfect two-way 2/3C and in 5-6 season to be nominated in permanence for Selke Trophy

 

[newfy]

60 point Sam Bennet would be a great result

 

[DanielMarois]

Although I love the pick, I do worry that Steve may be getting a bit carried away with character and two way play and grit. And it may be his experience of winning Cups when he personally became a better two way player at the expense of offence. I hope he remembers those teams had a lot of skill too.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

I do not think Yzerman is Holland. He would not have drafted this kid 8th overall if he thought his potential was just a 40pt 2-3C.

When you can draft a guy who will be at least a 40pt 2-3c with the 8th pick, you take it. Most picks taken 5 or later don't even make the NHL.

 

[SCD]

Summary:

- ranked 1st @ combine for Wingate test (Fatigue Index)
- tied for 2nd on VO2 Max (endurance)
- 2.6 shots attempts per game
-needs to shoot a lot more
-64.7 (mid) high slot shot % (very high); @net 74.7% (Snoop Dogg)
67.4% (left high slot) & 60% + (right high slot) (both very high)
-very accurate, but not hard shot
-defers to slap shot too much, probably from not being too confident in wrister in motion.

-ability to drive net, creates scrums/multiple scoring chances..."Brady Tkachuk"
-gets shots through to net, regardless of where he is on ice
-wrist shot: good in motion, quick release/snap, needs more strength to beat G's from outside.
-spacial recognition, using every inch of space.
-always changing angles to get highest % shooting location.
-Hands & Compete around net..."a thing of beauty"
-Hides very well in coverage. Protects the puck in tight.

-Translateable Skill - "has more than anyone in this draft class, hands down!"

- Fantastic skater. stops on a dime, exc.edgework, top speed, ton of power on crossovers, balance, rolls of checks & keeps footing.
-"Kasper has Old School brand of hockey in him."
-"Playmaking is good, but not a strength, nor weakness."

-lacks in flash & makes up in compete, old school vibe w/modern day skating + skill = rare commodity w/almost untouchable projectability, safe pick, but he may be both HighCeiling & Safe. need to work on shot mechanics & add power (which he will) Floor is 3rd line. 2yrs away SHL+AHL is in his best interest, then NHL. Power Fwd.

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The impressive endurance numbers at the combine is from a guy that still looks like a kid. I would have expected numbers like that from someone physically mature. It will be interesting to see if he grows any more.

 

[Gniwder]

When you can draft a guy who will be at least a 40pt 2-3c with the 8th pick, you take it. Most picks taken 5 or later don't even make the NHL.

Not true at all, I suggest you look at some draft results.

NHL and WHA Draft History at Hockeydb.com

 

[Henkka]

Looks like at least one Abbot was on the draft, noticed him hugging Kasper when our pick was annouced.

Did just notice from the draft feed:

Marco Kasper
"Models his game after Matthew Tkachuk."

 

[Pavels Dog]

Looks like at least one Abbot was on the draft, noticed him hugging Kasper when our pick was annouced.

Yes, but not just for Kasper. Rögle had 5 players drafted. The Abbots' have understood the importance of building relationships with NHL teams and players. I'm sure Kasper, Seider, Niederbach, Wallinder etc. won't be the last good prospects that choose to go play there.

 

[Shultzyfeelinirie25]

Red Wings Confident Marco Kasper Will Be On The Scoresheet

A link on what Stevie and Drapes had to say. I think it's a smart pick personally especially when draper said he played a consistent hard effort play in all 12 games he saw and that's great for a 17 year old playing against men in the SHL

 

[Hen Kolland]

Although I love the pick, I do worry that Steve may be getting a bit carried away with character and two way play and grit. And it may be his experience of winning Cups when he personally became a better two way player at the expense of offence. I hope he remembers those teams had a lot of skill too.

Well you need to remember that in his first tenure as an NHL GM, Yzerman built an incredibly skilled team that was inexplicably struggling to get over the final hurdle. It wasn’t until the year that BriseBois took over and brought in Blake Coleman, Pat Maroon and Barclay Goodrow that they finally won the cup. The Lightning were too easy to play against and were really missing some jam in their lineup.

Yzerman has been preaching that exact thing about Detroit since he’s been here. The team needs to become harder for other teams to play against. Kasper just represents a chance to raise your skill and compete level in one draft selection.

Yes, but not just for Kasper. Rögle had 5 players drafted. The Abbots' have understood the importance of building relationships with NHL teams and players. I'm sure Kasper, Seider, Niederbach, Wallinder etc. won't be the last good prospects that choose to go play there.

There was someone on Twitter who had said that Cam Abbot was in Montreal specifically to sit down with the GM of whatever team selected Kasper and discuss letting him stay in Rögle for another year. Being there for the other prospects is obviously a factor as well. Who knows which is actually the primary reason.

 

[Filppula]

“I don’t know that is ceiling is a top-six forward” says the guy on TV after he was drafted.

That’s a pretty brutal take.

 

[DetroitRed]

I like this pick. Like what he was able to do for his national team offensively - I don't agree with the assessment from the draft TV hosts that he's a smart playmaker but not an offensive dynamo. To me, it looks like he's poised to start being a dominant force, at 18/19 years old, in SHL.

Not sure if he would crack most NHL rosters the first year, but with Detroit's center issues he's got a good chance. I think we'll see him for a call up at least.

 

[Henkka]

Yes, but not just for Kasper. Rögle had 5 players drafted. The Abbots' have understood the importance of building relationships with NHL teams and players. I'm sure Kasper, Seider, Niederbach, Wallinder etc. won't be the last good prospects that choose to go play there.

That's also insane boatload on transfer money, if those kids will sign NHL contracts.

 

[NickH8]

Although I love the pick, I do worry that Steve may be getting a bit carried away with character and two way play and grit. And it may be his experience of winning Cups when he personally became a better two way player at the expense of offence. I hope he remembers those teams had a lot of skill too.

I think he's been balancing it pretty well. His drafting has been focused on two way play and grit and character, which makes me somewhat question his day 2 picks at times, but his day 1 track record is great. I definitely don't think he's ignoring skill. This is the gm that:
Traded size queen Mantha for picks and highly skilled and flashy Jakub Vrana
In year one took a chance on two skilled change of scenery players who are notably bad at defense. One has worked out (Fabbri) one did not (Perlini)
Drafted Lucas Raymond, a 5'10" winger with elite skill
Drafted Dmitri Buchelnikov, an overage Russian during the worst time to draft Russians in years.

 

[DatsDeking]

He said in an interview that he plays like that now because he was always playing against guys like 4-5 years older than him. He learned to protect himself, and now that hes finally with his age group and grown hes able to dish it out instead of just protecting himself.

Might explain a lot of that

Mo said something pretty similar about his own game when he was in the Euro leagues on Spittin Chiclets

 

[waltdetroit]

This is to add to those who posted about development. GMSY said (paraphrased) that we pick prospects (not players) who have the mental and physical abilities that we feel we can develop. I only had watched Kasper & don't know any of our other picks, but trust that the prospects will be offered every opportunity to develop that our organization can provide. From here on in, it's up to the prospects to put in the work, bounded only by their physical limits. I find it so difficult to predict what they will become since I broke my crystal ball.

 

[RedHawkDown]

When you can draft a guy who will be at least a 40pt 2-3c with the 8th pick, you take it. Most picks taken 5 or later don't even make the NHL.

This is just not true. A 40pt C is easy to find in FA. I’m certain that’s not what Yzerman is aiming for with a top 10 pick.

 

[Ricelund]

I bet Kasper will have a similar trajectory as Seider and Raymond. I don’t think his ceiling is as high as those guys but there’s a pretty clear pattern in what Yzerman looks for in prospects. All guys played against older players early in their careers and have great work ethic/coachability. People who are turned off by Kasper’s stats last season are missing the bigger picture.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

If you want my comparison, it’s a less skilled Mackinnon. I have been saying it for awhile, but whenever I watch him that’s all I see. Before someone jumps all over more me, i said less skilled, so don’t expect the same point totals. But the combination of speed, smarts, and physicality is few and far between.

Dylan Larkin is a less skilled Mackinnon, so I’m ok with this.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

Dylan Larkin is a less skilled Mackinnon, so I’m ok with this.

Correct - Incredibly fast, always pressuring up ice, shoot first Cs with average or less utilized commitment on D.

Marco is a different animal and they should make a really nice 1:2 combo

 

[Hen Kolland]

Correct - Incredibly fast, always pressuring up ice, shoot first Cs with average or less utilized commitment on D.

Marco is a different animal and they should make a really nice 1:2 combo

It’s exactly what the team should be aiming to have. Between Larkin and Kasper, 2/3 of the game should be miserable matchups for opposing centers. Having Larkin pummel you into the ground for a shift only to have Kasper come over the boards with his motor running just as hot…opposition will sleep well after game day

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

I like the "creates havoc / keeps teams on their toes / keeps them guessing" aspect. He's not a 5-D Chess Grandmaster, but an In The Moment / In Yo Crease speedy bull dog.
Always useful skillset.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

Not true at all, I suggest you look at some draft results.

NHL and WHA Draft History at Hockeydb.com

I have looked over draft history, many times. Even at 8OA there is only like a 60% certainty that a pick will play any meaningful number of NHL games, and an even smaller chance that they will achieve an average of 40 points/season.

40-50 point centers aren't plentiful in FA, as one poster erroneously claimed.

Kaspar's absolute floor is a 40 point defensively sound C or mid-roster wing. Again, if you can draft a guy at 8 that you know will be an NHLer, and could potentially develop into a high-end 2C, you take it.

I wanted Savoie, but on reconsideration a 5 foot 8 inch player is not likely to survive at center in the modern NHL.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Although I love the pick, I do worry that Steve may be getting a bit carried away with character and two way play and grit. And it may be his experience of winning Cups when he personally became a better two way player at the expense of offence. I hope he remembers those teams had a lot of skill too.

In his three drafts here, he landed a Calder winner and the guy who finished in 4th in Calder voting while not ever having a top 3 pick. You people are ridiculous.

Tyler Wright and Holland had one draft where they flubbed miserably while saying character and size and now somehow those aren't appealing traits in players. 2017 was a shitty draft and the Red Wings took a bunch of shitty players. However, that's not a reason to be scared of your own shadow and avoid players with strong mental makeups and competitive natures.