Red Wings Rookie Finally Adjusting to NHL

A top rookie for the Detroit Red Wings is finally adjusting to the NHL.

Jan 19, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (92) and Dallas Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin (46) battle for position in the Stars crease during the first period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Detroit Red Wings are one of the most improved teams in the NHL as the second half of the regular season begins. The team had a dismal start to the year and on the express route to another year of missing the postseason, but then they hired Todd McLellan as their new head coach.

The new HC has been a light in the darkness for the Red Wings. And of the many positive updates the team's seen since McLellan's arrival, the play of rookie Marco Kasper stands out.

The Wings selected Kasper eighth overall in the 2022 NHL Draft with high expectations for the Austrian-born forward. Now 20 years old, the playmaking forward is finding a role that allows him to succeed under McLellan.

The veteran coach has paired the rookie with captain Dylan Larkin and scoring winger Lucas Raymond and the line is clicking. It's a bit of a departure from his natural position of center, but he's adjusted seamlessly to playing the wing and the decrease in defensive responsibility is helping him create more offense.

As the line clicks, Kasper's finally starting to find the score sheet. Over his past 10 games, he has four goals and three assists for seven points. Not only is he scoring, he's putting up dominant performances.

One that sticks out is his recent game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Over 21 shifts and 15 minutes of ice-time, both career-highs in the NHL, he registered three shots, scored a goal, added an assist, and finished the game with a plus/minus of +2.

The improvement is noticeable both on the scoresheet and on the ice. The more noticeable improvement however is his confidence with every game. As he continues his development, so do the Red Wings, and both Kasper and the Wings are trending in the right direction in the second half of the season.

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