Detroit Red Wings call up Marco Kasper: Here's what's going on, what to expect

Marco Kasper was eating breakfast when he found out the news — he was headed to the NHL . It made for a hectic morning — and day.

The 20-year-old Austrian drove to Detroit and made the Red Wings' practice, all while knowing enough to bring clothes for a four-day trip that begins with a date Saturday against the struggling Predators. It's the whirlwind life of being a call-up: Enjoy breakfast in Grand Rapids, lunch in Detroit, and dinner in Nashville.

"I just grabbed my bag and drove straight here," Kasper said. "I'm really excited. It's always fun to get a call-up and get to play and practice here. I'm looking forward to it and will try to do my best."

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The Wings could use it: Although captain Dylan Larkin said it's not "all doom and gloom," they've lost two straight and are 1-3-0 as they go on the road to play in Nashville on Saturday and at the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Hence why the Wings looked to Kasper: He's a mix of grit and skill and energy.

"It's a significant role," coach Derek Lalonde said. "I think we'll see him in our top nine; I think we'll see him on both special teams. I think it's a person that can help us."

The Wings' roster is a bit fluid: Andrew Copp missed practice because he's battling flu, and Tyler Motte is sidelined while being evaluated for an upper-body injury. Jeff Petry has been cleared, so the Wings have eight healthy defensemen — which means that if Copp can't play, using 11 forwards and seven defensemen is an option. Alex Lyon is slated to start in goal.

Kasper, the Wings' first-round pick in 2022 (at No. 8 overall), practiced on a line with Michael Rasmussen and Jonatan Berggren.

Lalonde explained the reasoning: "I think Ras can complement anyone because he forechecks, he gets you second touches with pucks because he'll go get the puck for you. He goes to the net. He does some hard things.

"And Berggren has 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. So I like the potential of it. But, we have the potential of 11 and 7, and I'm not opposed to getting Marco on the wing at times with some other type of players. I think he can generate some energy and touches."

Saturday will be Kasper's second NHL game; his first came on April 2, 2023, when the Wings brought him over after his Swedish Hockey League season ended. Their plans to get him into more games in the 2022-23 season were waylaid because of an injury.

"It's been 1½ years now, but for sure maybe it takes away the nerves a little bit," Kasper said. "I'm ready for anything."

Kasper had an outstanding exhibition season, but a roster crunch — the Wings had three goalies on the roster, and eight defensemen, leaving room for just 12 forwards under the 23-man limit — left him starting the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL. The impression he made, though, lingered.

"This training camp he looked like he wanted a spot," Larkin said. "He worked his tail off for it. That's what I noticed. He was one of the few that stood out like they wanted a job, and he certainly got that with first call-up guy. He's got a good tool set. He's a good skater. Probably the thing I like the most is how competitive he is. He uses his body really well. He's a worker. It's impressive to see. Hopefully he can come in and do that for us."

"We're kind of in a spot where we need him now."

'This does not feel good'

Larkin said that within the locker room, the message is that "it's not all doom and gloom right now. We've played one game where we've played a full 60 minutes. The process is there. We just need results now."

The Predators, an early Stanley Cup favorite, are off to a rougher start than the Wings, having lost their first four.

"I'm sure they're desperate, but we're desperate, too," Lalonde said. "This does not feel good. There's been sporadic play, it's just frustrating that we are where we are with our results. I think there's two teams that are going to be playing a very desperate game."

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com . Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames .

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Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings , A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings call up Marco Kasper: Here's what's going on, what to expect