Kasper on latest opportunity with Red Wings: ‘I’m looking forward to it and will try to give my best’

DETROIT -- Marco Kasper is back with the Detroit Red Wings, and the 20-year-old forward prospect is highly motivated to make the most of his second NHL stint.

Recalled from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions on Friday morning, Kasper practiced with the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center before the club departed for a two-game road trip that opens against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday afternoon.

“Really excited, of course,” said Kasper, who has two points in two games with the Griffins this season. “It’s always fun to get a call up and play and practice here. I’m looking forward to it and will try to give my best.”

With Tyler Motte day-to-day while being evaluated for an upper-body injury sustained against the New York Rangers on Thursday and Andrew Copp battling a flu bug, Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said welcoming Kasper into the fold is exciting.

“I think we’ll see [Kasper] in our top-nine and on both special teams,” Lalonde said. “There’s a reality of developing on the fly in the NHL, but I think it’s a person who can help us too.”

Kasper appeared in four preseason games with the Red Wings this fall, recording three points (two goals, one assists) while showcasing his strong skating and playmaking abilities. Captain Dylan Larkin said Kasper’s high compete level was also evident throughout Training Camp.

“He’s got a good toolset,” Larkin said about Kasper. “He’s a good skater. The thing I like the most is how competitive [he is]. He uses his body really well. He’s a worker. I think it’s impressive to see. Hopefully he can come in and do that for us.”

Kasper said he wasn’t disappointed that he was assigned to Grand Rapids after Training Camp, pointing out the talent at the top of and within the Red Wings organization.

“We have a really good team now,” Kasper said. “We have a lot of young players pushing each other to develop. That’s really good. Just trying to give my best to get the call back up here and to work hard.”

Proud of the work he’s put in to earn this opportunity, Kasper said he feels more confident and prepared for the NHL than ever before.

“I had a way better preseason this year,” Kasper said. “It helps, obviously. Always fun to score some goals. I think just trying to build on preseason. The first game in Grand Rapids was good, we won that. Just trying to build on stuff like that and be ready for the games up here now.”

Kasper felt the excitement of his NHL debut on April 2, 2023, then the disappointment of a lower-body injury he sustained in that game, which sidelined him for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign. Since his initial NHL experience was so brief, the young forward admitted this “feels like a debut.”

“Knowing that I’ve played one game takes the nerves out of it a little bit,” Kasper said. “Trying to do my best now.”

During Friday’s practice, Kasper skated with Michael Rasmussen and Jonatan Berggren on the third line. Lalonde said he hasn’t decided how many forwards or defensemen the Red Wings will dress in Nashville but believes that trio could be very effective.

“Ras can complement anyone because he forechecks, he gets you second touches with pucks and he'll go get the puck for you,” Lalonde said. “He goes to the net, does some hard things. Obviously with Marco, I think we want to give him an opportunity to succeed, and Berggren’s been making a lot of plays. I know it hasn't translated into a lot of offense, but he's been creating some of those chances for.”