Marco Kasper Shows Signs of Breaking Through Slump in Red Wings’ Win Over Sharks
DETROIT - It’s been a long grind for Marco Kasper, but Wednesday night, the 20-year-old forward gave the Red Wings a glimpse of the player they believe he can be. In Detroit’s 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks, Kasper finally got back on the scoresheet - and not just with a late-game empty-netter. He added a slick assist, fired five shots on goal, and played with the kind of energy and edge that’s been simmering beneath the surface for weeks.
It was his first goal in nearly 11 weeks - a drought that stretched back 37 games to his two-goal night against the Kings on Halloween Eve. But this wasn’t just about a puck crossing the line. This was about a player starting to look like himself again.
“Most importantly for Marco… I know his game has been coming, maybe not on the score sheet regularly, but his physicality, his tenacity, his skating. He looks like a different player right now,” head coach Todd McLellan said after the game. “I don’t know if he hit rock bottom and built himself back up, but he’s done a real good job.”
The Numbers Don’t Tell the Full Story
Kasper’s offensive production this season has been modest - just six points in his first 47 games - but his impact goes beyond the box score. He leads the Red Wings with 107 hits, and every night, he’s noticeable.
Whether it’s finishing checks, battling along the boards, or hounding pucks on the forecheck, Kasper has remained engaged. That physical presence has kept him in the NHL lineup, even as the goals have been hard to come by.
The team has never stopped believing in him, and that belief was on full display late in the game when Lucas Raymond passed up a sure goal on an empty net to feed Kasper. It was a small moment, but one that spoke volumes.
“When your teammates are still rooting for you, that’s important,” McLellan said. “The guys are pulling for him on the bench.
They have his back. They know he’s an important piece on the team.
And tonight, he got rewarded with some points and a goal. But his overall game was impressive.”
Sophomore Season Growing Pains
Kasper’s rookie season was a tale of two halves - a slow start followed by a strong finish that saw him notch 19 goals. Expectations were naturally higher coming into Year 2, and that’s where things can get tricky. The dreaded “sophomore slump” is real, even if no one can fully explain it.
“It’s his second year - it could be a tricky one,” Raymond said. “I think the way he’s working, you see it in games, and practices as well, before or after, it pays off. You just got to be patient and get that confidence back.”
Raymond, who’s been through it himself, understands that the second year in the league brings a shift. The novelty wears off.
Opponents have a book on you. The expectations change - both from the outside and from within.
“I wish I knew [why it happens],” Raymond said. “The first year, you come in, everything’s new.
You’re kind of riding that high. And excitement of going into every building is a new building for you.
You’re playing against a lot of your childhood idols. In the second year, expectations become different.
So, you know, it’s tricky, but like I said, it’s about doing the right things. And everyone’s not always going to score.
We need guys to contribute in a lot of different ways. And he plays hard.”
Kasper’s Quiet Resilience
Through it all, Kasper has kept his head down and kept working. He hasn’t made excuses.
He hasn’t let frustration spill over. But that doesn’t mean the struggles haven’t weighed on him.
“He doesn’t get too high or too low, but he’s a proud individual,” McLellan said. “And I think some of it is held inside.
We’ve had some good talks, and sometimes it’s held inside. He doesn’t want to let his guard down or let anybody see him.
But I know it’s been heavy on him. I give him all of the credit in the world for continuing to try work through it.
Maybe he’s starting to break through.”
The Red Wings certainly hope so. Kasper doesn’t need to be a nightly scorer to be valuable, but when he’s combining his relentless motor with timely offense, he becomes the kind of player who can swing momentum, tilt the ice, and wear down opponents. That’s the version Detroit saw on Wednesday night - and if that version sticks around, it could be a big boost for a team still fighting to find consistency.
For Kasper, it’s not about one game or one goal. It’s about stringing together performances that remind everyone - including himself - why he was such a highly touted prospect in the first place.
The tools are there. The work ethic is there.
Now the confidence might be catching up.