Wing Wednesday: Looking at Marco Kasper's game from Traverse City
The Red Wings No. 2 prospect has a bright future as an all-around center
We’ve got actual film from the 2023-24 season.
OK, technically it’s prospect tournament film, but its’ film nonetheless.
Better yet, it’s film from games I watched in person, so there’s some nice depth to version of Wing Wednesday looking at Marco Kasper’s tournament up in Traverse City.
Kasper is widely considered the Red Wings No. 2 ranked prospect. Max Bultman has him ranked there, right behind Simon Edvinsson, so do my colleagues at EP Rinkside.
Rinkside also has Kasper as the No. 22-ranked affiliated prospect across the NHL.
Here was Mitch Brown’s thoughts on Kasper from that piece:
Marco Kasper’s draft-plus-one season went as well as one could expect. His game grew in all facets, his role expanded, and he had a successful NHL debut. Energy, physicality, and inside play are his defining skills, but he successfully built upon the flashes this season. Now, he’s a capable playmaker, especially along the boards. Adding a change of pace game ensures he’ll be a capable puck-rusher in transition, too. While the puck skill might not quite as impressive as those ranked him around him, he’s a high-probability top-nine forward with the chance to reach the top-six if his development continues its upward trajectory.
So heading into Traverse City, aside from Adam Fantilli, Kasper was one of the prospects I was most intrigued to watch in person.
He had an OK tournament, there were some frustrating moments, especially as Detroit lost all three games, but he rebounded offensively with a pair of assists in the final game against the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects.
Despite not scoring a goal, he was tied for the team lead in shots over three games with Elmer Soderblom and Cross Hanas.
Remember that Kasper played one NHL game last season, but got hurt, and missed out on the opportunity to play more. Based off the Red Wings moves in free agency, he’s likely going to start this season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but I do expect him to play some NHL games this season.
Anyways, let’s actually look at some film and what the Wings might have in store with the Austrian center who had 23 points in 52 SHL games last season with Rogle.
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