It's no secret that many of the Detroit Red Wings were playing through injuries this season. Some players like Dylan Larkin were clearly nursing injuries throughout the later half of the season. Others, it seems, had nagging injuries that weren't as obvious to fans. Among those names is sophomore Marco Kasper, who finished up a tough 19 point campaign.
In an interview with Hockey-News, an Austrian publication, Kasper revealed that he will be unable to participate with Team Austria during the IIHF World Championships due to a knee injury.
"Kasper had been struggling with knee problems for some time," reads a rough translation of the article. "However, the full extent was only determined by an MRI examination, the ÖEHV (the Austrian Hockey Federation) announces."
This certainly explains Kasper's dip in production this season. Where some believed his low shooting percentage to be a mental thing, a physical injury could certainly have an affect on it. Kasper, when asked about this, confirmed what the ÖEHV announced.
"I have to go with crutches at the moment and I have a splint on my knee.“
Kasper's injury adds clarity to disappointing season
Despite his recurring injury, Kasper still led all Red Wings in hits with 186 on the season. He held one of the lowest shooting percentages in the season with a 6.9%. The NHL average last season, for reference, was around 12.1%. Had he kept up average numbers, it's entirely possible he could've ended the season with around 20 goals. That said, however, it's clear that this nagging knee injury was a setback for him in the long run.
It does beg a question about how the Red Wings manage their players, though. If Kasper truly had a knee injury for some time, why did the organization allow him to continue playing? Sure, hockey players are known for their toughness, but wouldn't his dip in production warrant at least a few weeks' worth of rest?
Unfortunately, the Hockey-News article wasn't entirely clear on when the injury started. Had it begun sometime in early March around the time Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp suffered their injuries, it's possible that Kasper attempted to push through it to get the Red Wings over the hump.
Red Wings still believe in Kasper
McLellan's post-season press conference seemed to indicate that the Red Wings aren't worried about any long-term implications with Kasper's injury.
"As far as Marco goes, we have a very high belief in this young man," McLellan stated. He's dealing with a lot as a young man, but he's got the skillset. He's got a drive and a demeanor where I believe he'll work his way through all of this."
Perhaps it was the knee injury that caused the dip in production. Maybe it was a mental factor or his deployment throughout the lineup. In all likelihood, all three parts played a role.
Fortunately, Kasper has all the time he needs to rehab his knee.
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