Marco Kasper has become a regular figure in the Detroit Red Wings' lineup, and has remained with the team ever since he was called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins in late October last season.
Kasper especially began to take off following the coaching change in late December that saw the Red Wings welcome Todd McLellan, who won the Stanley Cup in 2008 as an assistant on Mike Babcock's staff, back to the organization as head coach.
Now, Kasper will likely once again find himself centering Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, a line combination that proved to be especially effective for the Red Wings during their seven-game winning streaks that soon followed McLellan's hire.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
"I just tried to work really hard every day, and especially after New Year's where we began getting confidence as a team, I got more confidence in myself," Kasper said of his upward trajectory under McLellan. "I wanted to play in big games and be a difference maker. Playing with Cat and Kaner was cool and honestly fun to play with those guys.
Playing alongside a bona fide future Hall of Famer like Kane and a sniper like DeBrincat could have been daunting for a rookie, but Kasper did more than just simply rise to the challenge. He not only understood what was expected of him with linemates of that caliber but also stayed mentally strong and confident in his own abilities.
"The most import thing is that we go out there and play hard and play physically and mentally tough," he explained of his mindset playing with them. "I think that's what I'm trying to do every shift, just get out there and compete hard and do my best."
Kasper lit the lamp 17 times from January 10 until the end of the season, which was tied for the most among all NHL rookies. He also finished fifth overall among first-year players in total scoring during that time frame.
"He's had an interesting path. He earned and was granted an opportunity last year, and he took advantage of it and he never gave it back," McLellan said of Kasper. "I think that's a sign of maturity, he didn't let it get away from him, and his confidence grew. I think I used these words yesterday: 'He earned a little more, we gave a little bit more.' There's nothing better in a player-coach relationship than that."
During Training Camp, Kasper once again was paired with Kane and DeBrincat and displayed the same kind of competitiveness that McLellan believes would make any player want to play alongside him.
"As far as coming into the season, he's a good two-way player that competes really hard all over the rink with a pretty good hockey mind," he said. "If you just think about that and you leave the name Marco Kasper out, if I'm a player on the team, I want to play with that guy."
"His approach to the season, he looked quite focused. He's worked hard, he's got some self-confidence, which is important."
"Unbelievable Player": Carter Mazur Lauds Emmitt Finnie After Multi-Point Performance
Tuesday night's game between the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings">Detroit Red Wings</a> and the Chicago Blackhawks may have only been a pre-season game, but if the performance of prospect Emmitt Finnie is any indication of potential things to come, fans are going to quickly come to love him.
Having previously served as head coach of three NHL clubs before being hired in Detroit last December, McLellan has worked with plenty of young players and knows all too well how performance expectations can affect them.
"But these seasons tend to be hard sometimes, because expectations go way up, and sometimes they're through the roof and maybe a little too much, whether from me or the media or the fans, he still has learning to do and still has to grow," McLellan said. "He'll have ups and downs, and we'll try and help him get through all of those."
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!