Before he can perform, Detroit must properly set the stage.
Once the Detroit Red Wings deal Dylan Larkin, it’s difficult to picture anyone occupying the first line center position.
It’s possible they’ll share the role, rotating Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, and Marco Kasper in and out. There’s also a chance the new GM trades for someone like the Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson. The Red Wings will probably have to depend on what they currently possess unless, by some miracle, they manage to generate a top line center out of thin air.
Marco Kasper is the answer.
While Kasper had one of the worst sophomore slumps in recent memory, with just 19 points in 81 games, underlying data indicate that he is likely to recover:
There’s no reason to worry about Kasper. His point totals were reduced by a dismal shooting season and awful on-ice shooting, but he appears well under the hood. He will be back on track next season, I’m sure of it. https://t.co/dPWR26GgRBva pic.twitter.com/oCN2ggRBva
May 15th, 2026
The former first round selection might have an amazing bounce back season if the Red Wings place him in a position to succeed.
The most effective approach to ensure Marco Kasper’s success
The simplest and most effective strategy to boost a player’s output is to surround them with other skilled players. Placing Kasper on a line with Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond would be ideal for him. With DeBrincat, he would have an outstanding sniper, and with Raymond, a skilled set-up man. All he would have to do to make sure the pucks arrived at their proper locations was act as a middleman and expedite the effort.
However, moving up to this level brings its own difficulties. Kasper must maintain the speed of other leading lines; it is essential. That means that he will have to compete with competitors such as Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. There’s no question that it’s going to be difficult, but as the adage goes, “diamonds are made under pressure.”
And it seems that Kasper does well under duress.
However, he will have to prove to head coach Todd McLellan that he can earn it. Kasper would have spent the off season mending his knee damage and completing the other aspects of his game in an ideal environment. In this manner, Kasper can step in with as little growing pains as possible once the season starts and Dylan Larkin is (hopefully) gone.
Kasper excels here.
Last year, Kasper threw 186 hits in 81 games, tops among all Red Wings. He is more than willing to put his life on the line if it is necessary. Here, he might serve as a crucial member of his line mates. If his physicality can create passing lanes for Raymond and DeBrincat, allowing them to cycle the puck efficiently and create crucial scoring opportunities, he can play the niche role that a player like Tyler Bertuzzi did in the past.
Kasper may not always demonstrate this on the stat sheet, but it nonetheless makes him essential. With a player like Kasper, some nights he will be scoreless and other nights he will be all over the ice. Consistency is something that develops with time. But if he’s placed in a position to thrive, the Red Wings will benefit greatly, even if it takes him a bit longer.
