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Marco Kasper, Detroit Red Wings (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Red Wings’ Marco Kasper Deserves Calder Consideration

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Devin Little | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 11:35 AM ET

The 2024-25 season has been an up and down affair for the Detroit Red Wings. Though they still find themselves within striking distance of a playoff spot, their general inconsistency as well as strength of schedule makes it hard to believe that their playoff pursuit will be successful.

One positive from the Red Wings’ 2024-25 season has undoubtedly been the arrival of several young players, including Marco Kasper. Detroit’s top pick in the 2022 draft, the Austrian forward has played in several different roles this season, moving from the third-line center, to the left wing on the team’s top line, and most recently back down the middle on the Red Wings’ second line.

Kasper’s production has seen a steady incline since the start of the season. After starting the season as a source of youthful energy and skill in the bottom six, he has asserted himself as a top six forward, and he put the entire league on notice in the process. With under a dozen games left in the season, he doesn’t have enough time to mount a legitimate challenge to the league’s best rookies, but his efforts this season should be worthy of some votes for the Calder Trophy.

Kasper Keeps Climbing Up

Kasper quickly made a name for himself this season through his willingness to engage in the not-so-glamourous side of the game. He forechecks like a hellion, and he can make plays in tight areas that create opportunities for himself and for his teammates. He does a lot of things that lead to goals, be it directly or indirectly.

That’s why his point totals this season are a bit deceptive. With 30 points in 68 games, Kasper is on pace to produce less than half a point per game. 30-ish points in a season isn’t exactly something you build a Calder campaign around, but it’s worth taking a closer look to see how he got to this point.

First and foremost, Kasper leads all NHL rookies in goals since Jan. 1 with 13 goals in 36 games. He has the fifth-most points among rookies in that same timeframe with 23. He is one point behind Will Smith of the San Jose Sharks for fourth place, and two points behind Smith’s teammate, Macklin Celebrini, for third place. Kasper’s offensive production in the new year is on par with the most exciting rookies in the game entering this season, yet the Red Wings’ rookie receives little fanfare.

Kasper’s Positive Influence

Kasper has also proven himself capable of elevating his teammates despite being just days away from his 21st birthday. He has had the opportunity to play with almost everyone in the Red Wings’ lineup, and his impact on their games as almost always a net-positive.

Take Lucas Raymond for example. The Swedish winger has been a key fixture on the Red Wings’ top line since 2021, almost two years before Kasper would make his Red Wings debut, but Raymond’s performance metrics are seeing a considerable boost this season whenever he plays with Kasper. With all other players, Raymond and the Red Wings are being outshot 316-281 and outscored 34-26. With Raymond and Kasper on the ice, the Red Wings are outshooting their opponents 174-131 and outscoring them 13-11. Raymond is a great player on his own, but Kasper’s presence has helped bring out the best in his game.

You see similar effects throughout the lineup. Jonatan Berggren is better when he plays with Kasper. You can add Alex DeBrincat to the list too. Kasper excels at attacking the puck and gaining possession, and that ultimately leads to more offensive opportunities for him and his linemates. To that point, the top line of Kasper, Raymond and Dylan Larkin have the best five-on-five numbers (56.7 shots-for percentage, 58.5 expected goals-for percentage) of any top line Detroit has assembled for at least 250 minutes over the last four seasons.

To put this into perspective, the Red Wings haven’t had a first-year player have this kind of impact since Moritz Seider asserted himself as the team’s top defenseman during the 2021-22 campaign. While that wasn’t THAT long ago, it is certainly promising that another Red Wings first round pick has arrived in the NHL and immediately made a positive impact – especially to the degree that Kasper has.

Enough to Be Considered, Not Enough to Win

When a player creates that much of a positive impact, especially in his first season, it shows a lot of promise for what that player could become. When Moritz Seider won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie back in 2022, it not only indicated how good he already was, but it also firmly placed him in the upper-echelon of NHL defenders. Since then, he has done nothing but prove he belongs there.

Realistically, Kasper’s raw production totals aren’t enough to generate legitimate Calder Trophy buzz. He would need a big push down the stretch to end the season with 40 points, and that would still put him well below the marks set by the last five Calder Trophy winners.

That fact should not preclude Kasper from receiving votes when the Professional Hockey Writers Association cast their ballots for rookie of the year. He is the type of player that anyone can respect thanks to his work ethic and honest style of play. His offensive production has increased over the course of the season, and he has already proven to have a positive impact on players well-established as some of the best at their position.

Though he may not win the award, Kasper has done enough this season for Red Wing fans to be very excited about his future. A 25-goal campaign in 2025-26 is on the table as well as a permanent role as the team’s second line center. He is not the only Red Wings rookie to impress this season, but he has established himself as the most important of the bunch. As Detroit continues to add youth and skill to their forward group, the front office and the coaching staff will rest easy knowing that they have a young forward that can play anywhere in the lineup and move play in the right direction.

That may not be enough to win the Calder Trophy, but it should be enough to earn some votes.

(Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick)