Biggest concern thus far in Detroit Red Wings Yzerplan

The Detroit Red Wings are causing more waves this season than ever (at least, so it seems). 

Reasonable fans understand that the rebuild is a process. The best things in life are worth waiting for, no matter the time it takes. 

As the peak of this uphill climb grows ever closer, more questions arise. 

Whether right or wrong, other fans question general manager Steven Yzerman and his Yzerplan. Slowly, I find myself questioning Yzerman’s decisions more than ever.

In my heart, I know that Yzerman has the best interest of his team in mind. However, I sometimes find it difficult to keep my confidence in his plans.

Last season, Jonatan Berggren was the biggest question mark. Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson are not far behind in my growing concerns about Yzerman’s choice to leave young players in the AHL for too long. Berggren, I hoped, would be the peak of my doubts. This season, things would be different. I was proven wrong

Keeping Marco Kasper out of the Detroit Red Wings lineup helps no one except the Grand Rapids Griffins

As the Detroit Red Wings progress this season, Marco Kasper is helping the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League (AHL). 

There is a perspective that the more playing time a developing player gets, the better even if it’s a lower league. 

Kasper, when he arrived in Detroit, shouldn’t play in a bottom-six, physical-style role. 

Although I’ve agreed with this idea with previous prospects, I couldn’t disagree more with Kasper. 

Each player is unique.

For Kasper, he’s a well-rounded player who is the go-to guy for head coach Dan Watson. 

When asked about the actions and development Kasper needs to move up to the Detroit Red Wings, Watson responded:

It’s a great question, one that’s above my pay grade.

In classic Watson fashion, he expanded on the topic. Kasper will play a big role and minutes, as many as the Grand Rapids Griffins can throw at him. The team and Kasper will ensure he’s mentally and physically ready when he’s called upon. 

For context, Watson has coached Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, and Berggren. For each of these players, Watson was always positive about their games, but Watson didn’t go as far as he did with Kasper (and indicating the decision to play Kasper in Grand Rapids as opposed to Detroit is above his pay grade). 

I can hear people clacking out a rebuttal on the keyboard now. If Kasper is recalled, Berggren will be the odd man out as they fill the same role. 

To me, Berggren doesn’t impact Kasper and Kasper doesn’t impact Berggren. Instead, they’re perfect compliments to one another. 

They fill different spots and roles in the lineup. 

Berggren is a specialty player who thrives with a player like Kasper. Kasper is a player who happily does the heavy lifting for his line, so that his teammate can fly (or dance, Berggren is a dancer).

It seems insulting to call Kasper a piano puller. 

My mind jolts back to the bittersweet days when Justin Abdelkader was stapled to Pavel Datsyuk’s wing. Then, I remember that contract.

Kasper is not Abdelkader. No offense to Abdelkader.

The young forward, Kasper, has a surprising shot, can make plays in the offensive zone, and is a perfect complement to any line (in any role).

Need to kill a penalty? Net from on the power play? Someone to back-check for Patrick Kane?

He will do it. He wants to do it. His goal is to win, by any means necessary.

My favorite quality of Kasper doesn’t come on the ice. 

In any interview I’ve heard of Kasper, no matter if the question is about him specifically (good, bad, or ugly), he’s always focused on the “we.” 

He’s not boastful or concerned with his fortune on the scoresheet. It’s always about his team. 

While this is a fantastic trait to have, and it’s a trait that’s part of the big three pillars of the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings (Dylan Larkin, Moritz Seider, and Lucas Raymond), it’s also the biggest concern that I have if he remains with the Grand Rapids Griffins much longer. 

Kasper wants to help his team so much everywhere that sometimes he’s nowhere. 

If Kasper sees blown coverage from a teammate and thinks it’s a problem for his goaltender, Kasper dashes to fill the space (looking to block a passing lane, shot, physical play, or mitigate the opponent by any means necessary). 

In the AHL, Kasper is at the top of the food chain in terms of recovering if he ventures too far out of his own area of coverage. He’s as quick and as strong as anyone at getting back to his spots. 

However, at the NHL level, he’s in a bigger pond with bigger fish. Maybe someday, he can adapt his game to that higher level, where he can get caught out of position but has the athleticism, discipline, and brain to recover (much like Sebastian Cossa) from those types of plays. 

Most likely, coaches in the NHL won’t appreciate this facet of his game and he will have to flush it down the drain. 

The longer he stays in the AHL, the more this habit builds and the harder it will be to break. 

Considering this aspect of his game stems from his compete, he likely won’t ever lose it. He can be more mindful and mitigate it, though. 

In the AHL, he won’t be able to focus on diminishing the risks involved with this side of his game. The competition isn’t stiff enough to do so.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings are struggling to find a rhythm and consistency in their game. It’s only two games into the season. They will improve (or they’ll fall off a cliff), but I can’t help but wonder how the bottom six would look with Kasper centering it.

Berggren has danced across the ice setting up Tyler Motte, among others, for a possible scoring chance. I get that Berggren should be able to step up and get a better scoring chance himself, however, it’s not a priority in his game. Maybe if his linemates continue to have miscues with his passes, Berggren might try to score more. 

It would be in the best interest of the team to play Kasper with Berggren. They played together for the Grand Rapids Griffins as part of the top line and found consistent success.

Of course, there’s a possibility that that success at the AHL level doesn’t translate to the NHL. It’s high competition against, and putting Kasper with Berggren might create a bit of a roller coaster the first few games as they adjust to the NHL level of competition. Kasper isn’t likely to be a liability for long in the NHL. 

Both Joseph Veleno and Motte could rotate as the third wing on that line. These two players are strong on the defensive side of the puck, though neither play has the offensive output that the team could hope for in the bottom six (for the record, Veleno has a bit of promise still). Having Kasper bolstering the fourth line would help in every aspect of the game.

Understandably, it’s not ideal to start Kasper on the fourth line, but neither is playing Berggreno on the fourth line. At some point, if this line sees actual playing time and is given a real chance to steal ice time, they might not be the fourth line for long.

It seems that Kasper needs the Detroit Red Wings as much as the Detroit Red Wings need Kasper. 

In Mulan (the cartoon version), the Emperor mentions that one grain of rice can tip the scales and be the difference between victory and defeat. 

To me, Kasper is the grain of rice destined to tip the scales.