Earlier in the summer, I talked about how Marco Kasper knew what he needed to work on if making a massive jump in his second full-time season with the Detroit Red Wings was gonna happen. Now that the season's around the corner, you got permission to be optimistic that Kasper will make his 37-point, 19-goal year look tame.
Why's that? For one, Kasper got better as the 2024-25 season progressed, and he was a natural fit for head coach Todd McLellan's system. Take that he's a good fit, then add a year of experience, plus a full offseason knowing he'll kick off the year in Hockeytown, and it sets the stage for a campaign that could see him hit at least the 50-point mark, barring injury.
That's why I'm looking for something around 16-16:30 of average total ice time this season, and he could even jump into the 17-minute mark if and when he proves that the game's slown down for him. With that, the Wings are yet another step closer to solidifying the top six for years on end.
Marco Kasper will erase any lingering doubts in 2025-26
Young players will always have doubters, especially one whose numbers didn't light up the league. 37 points in 77 contests won't, so I can see why Kasper will have his skeptics coming into the season.
But do you know what else makes Kasper valuable? He's not a one-dimensional player. I've been talking a lot over the past five months about how the Red Wings need to get more physical, and Kasper's someone who'll make sure their physical play trends north.
He proved it last year with 156 hits, and it wouldn't shock me if he landed 200 body checks on opponents. No, Kasper can't be the only one landing relentless hits, but he's got the potential to energize the entire team to up the ante, especially during the more high-stakes contests.
When all of the above occurs, only a few sticklers will doubt his play. As for the rest of us, we'll know the Wings have a strong second-line center whose all-around game will pay dividends and even be the deciding factor if they need to edge past an opponent.
Add to the fact he can pitch in during the power play and when the Wings are short-handed, and Hockeytown's got a forward who can contribute in any situation. By the end of 2025-26, you'll see him as one of the most complete players on the team.