Marco Kasper isn’t pretending last season went the way he wanted. His first full NHL campaign with the Detroit Red Wings was a grind, and he said as much when he spoke with Austrian website MeinBezirk.
“Last season was full of ups and downs,” Kasper told Austrian website MeinBezirk. “There were a few things I had to learn, and sometimes that wasn’t easy.”
The stat line backed up the frustration. Kasper’s goal total fell from 19 to nine, his points dropped from 37 to 19, and a plus-one rating in 2024-25 turned into a minus-20 mark in 2025-26.
Still, Kasper isn’t fixated on last season’s numbers. He’s focused on what comes next, and he doesn’t want improvement reduced to a box score.
“You set yourself goals, but basically, I just take it one day at a time,” Kasper said. “That’s what’s most important to me.
“I try to train well in the summer, have a good preseason, and then see how I can help the team.
“Whether that means scoring a lot of points or winning crucial battles, we’ll see. Ultimately, I try to play my game and give it my all every day.”
For Kasper, the target is simple: get better in ways that matter on the ice. He said that means building strength and speed in the offseason and continuing to chip away at his game as the year goes on.
“Basically, you try to get faster and stronger,” Kasper lists as his offseason objectives. “Summer training is always a development process.
“Whether it’s strength training in the summer or a game in December, I always try to give my best.”
Detroit’s offseason has been anything but quiet. Dylan Larkin requested a trade, Steve Yzerman was ousted as GM, and no replacement has been named with training camp approaching.
Kasper said he understands that uncertainty. He’s also been part of trade speculation himself, which has given him a clear view of how quickly the business side can come into play.
“You’re aware of all that stuff, of course, but it’s more a case of just taking it as it comes,” Kasper said. “You can’t do anything about it if your team sends you somewhere else.
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Red Wings Still Have One Roster Concern Hanging Over This Season
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Even with that progress, one area still stands out as the concern hanging over the season. Detroits center spine does not look nearly as strong once Dylan Larkin is taken out of the picture, and the next options are being asked to carry more than ideal. Goaltending also remains part of the conversation after last seasons performance, which means the Red Wings may enter camp with more clarity on some parts of the roster than others, but not all of them. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Head Toward Camp With Dylan Larkin Uncertainty Growing
Training camp is getting closer in Detroit, and the uncertainty around Dylan Larkin is becoming harder to ignore. The Red Wings are still without a general manager, leaving the club in a temporary leadership posture at a moment when the captain's status could shape the direction of the roster. Media analysts Jeff Marek and Jason Gregor have suggested the organization is not in position to make a major call on Larkin until a new GM is installed, which only adds another layer to an already delicate situation.
For now, Larkin is still expected to show up when camp opens, and that may be where the next part of this story gets sorted out. If the trade conversation tightens around a limited set of destinations, the Red Wings could end up watching their captain try to handle the situation from inside the room and on the ice, with his play becoming part of the equation. For a team already navigating leadership questions, it is the sort of unresolved issue that can linger well beyond the first day of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Prospect Dylan James Now Faces One Big NHL Question
Dylan James is finally out of the college game and into the professional track the Red Wings have been waiting to see. Detroit took him 40th overall in 2022, and after four seasons at North Dakota, he brought a steadier offensive presence to his senior year with 21 goals before making the jump to the AHL with Grand Rapids.
What comes next is the part that will determine how far he can rise in the organization. James has built a reputation on his defensive detail and penalty killing, but the real question is whether he can generate enough NHL-level offense to fit into a lineup long term. The opening signs have been encouraging enough to keep the conversation going, yet his path will still hinge on whether that scoring touch translates against stronger pro competition. [Read more 🡒]