The skill of Detroit Red Wings forward Marco Kasper was on full display for most of last season, starting with his late October call up from the American Hockey League.
Kasper especially began to thrive after the Red Wings made a coaching change in late December, leading all NHL rookies in goals from January 10 until the end of the campaign with 17; he also finished fifth in total rookie points during that time frame.
Kasper continues to get some action in during the offseason, playing in the Sunshine Hockey League in Klagenfurt, Austria. He recently also scored a "Michigan" goal, the famed lacrosse-style goal first made famous by University of Michigan forward Mike Legg in 1996.
Earlier this month, Kasper was named the 2024-25 Red Wings Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Media (DSM).
“It’s really cool to be chosen for that award,” Kasper said of winning the award. “It’s always an honor to receive something like that because it just shows that us young players get great opportunities, and we take pride in that. I want to take the next step. We have a great group of guys, and we want to continue playing like we did."
Kasper, who ultimately scored 19 goals with 18 assists, became Detroit's highest-scoring rookie since both Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider in the 2021-22 season.
Both Raymond and Seider are franchise cornerstone players for the Red Wings, something that Kasper has the potential for in short order. He'll be hoping to continue his upward trajectory in what will be his second season in the NHL and the 100th in franchise history.
“It’s one of the best and greatest organizations in the NHL,” he said. “I’m really proud to be part of the organization. Everybody wears the Winged Wheel with pride, and you can see guys all want to play for the Red Wings. It’s a lot of fun and with this being the [Centennial season], it’s going to be really cool.”
