Mar 14, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (92) smiles after the warmups before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory, Imagn Images)
For Detroit Red Wings rookie Marco Kasper, the season isn't over, not quite yet anyway. Kasper is officially joining Austria at the 2025 IIHF World Championships in Sweden and Denmark, as confirmed by Austria's official roster announcement.
The news comes on the heels of a smashing success of a rookie season for Kasper. He showed the maturity and competitiveness that had always been associated with him as a prospect, but he also showed a goalscorer's touch and an ability to oscillate between center and win, looking adept in both roles. He finished his rookie year with 19 goals and 37 points in 77 games, earning plaudits from coach Todd McLellan along the way for his "fearless" game.
Kasper has played 21 games for Austria at the senior men's level, scoring six goals and giving four assists in those games. He's been to one previous iteration of IIHF Worlds (in 2022).
Worlds will also present something of a new challenge for Kasper. After being sent to Grand Rapids out of training camp, Kasper played his way into first an NHL role and then up the lineup, but he was (understandably at 21 years old) he was a complementary piece to Detroit's stars like Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin, and Patrick Kane. Heading into Worlds, he is Austria's lone current NHL player on the roster, so he will be asked to carry a heavy load. If his rookie campaign is any indicator, it's a challenge he's ready to embrace.
