{"time":1747425094702,"blocks":[{"id":"4V-gXzuFzS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThis\nisn’t Marco Kasper’s first IIHF World Championship, but things\nhave changed a bit since his debut in 2022. Back then, the\n18-year-old was three months from being drafted by the Detroit Red\nWings and, despite showing the talent that would make him a\nfirst-rounder, ended the tournament with seven games. His Austrian\nteam came from behind in its last game to beat Great Britain and\navoid relegation."}},{"id":"schSN14whq","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"This time around, Kasper is the team’s go-to guy and, after five\ngames, leads the team with four goals and five points, following a\ntwo-goal performance in a 5-2 win over France. \n"}},{"id":"mar6v01e","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://media-cdn.roundtable.io/media-service/videos/ecc14ea2-dcd5-4049-a0e1-a1317b0450ff/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://media-cdn.roundtable.io/media-service/videos/ecc14ea2-dcd5-4049-a0e1-a1317b0450ff/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"ecc14ea2-dcd5-4049-a0e1-a1317b0450ff","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://media-cdn.roundtable.io/media-service/videos/ecc14ea2-dcd5-4049-a0e1-a1317b0450ff/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://media-cdn.roundtable.io/media-service/videos/ecc14ea2-dcd5-4049-a0e1-a1317b0450ff/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/ecc14ea2-dcd5-4049-a0e1-a1317b0450ff/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"70AyefiY9g","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"But despite that, he doesn’t feel any pressure to carry the\nteam as its only current NHL player."}},{"id":"PAmqbi_vS1","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"“I don’t think there’s any pressure,” he said. “We’ve\ngot a great group of guys, a great mentality for our national team\nand we just play together, stick together and that’s what makes us\na great team.”"}},{"id":"vNjqny2kph","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The win over France gives Austria five points after five games.\nThe team put a scare into Finland and Sweden but came away with no\npoints, then beat Slovakia in a shootout and lost 5-1 to Canada. On\nthe last day of the group stage, Austria faces Latvia in a game that\nmight decide which team advances. \n"}},{"id":"1Pfl-CmlO6","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"“Oh, we’re not thinking that far ahead,” Kasper said when\nthe quarterfinals were brought up. “We’ve played five games but\nthere’s still two games to be played. We’re just taking it\nday-by-day. I think it’s the whole team’s effort that’s given\nus these wins, so we’ve just gotta keep doing that and we’ll see\nwhere that takes us.”"}},{"id":"QUI-si1xUW","type":"image","data":{"caption":"Marco Kasper playing for the Detroit Red Wings in the 2024-25 season. © Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"stretched":false,"file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/fd06297e-fef0-4bc4-9bd8-f5f15c8517e7.jpeg","width":2738,"height":1825}}},{"id":"m8TZtOxD6h","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Indeed, Kasper wasn’t on last year’s Austrian team that was a\nwin away from advancing but lost its last game to already-relegated\nGreat Britain, but he’s aware of it. With that in mind, the\nAustrians won’t be looking past Slovenia on Saturday."}},{"id":"DWigcjPalm","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"But no pressure, of course. These are big games, but Kasper still\nenjoyed playing against his heroes Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon\non Thursday, and returning to Sweden, where he played from age 16 to\n19, getting his first taste of pro hockey with Rögle.\n\n"}},{"id":"loplyMkS6P","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"“I had a great time here,” he said. “I went to school here\ntoo for three years, so it’s always good to be back in Sweden.”"}},{"id":"RSHbfg31Qe","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/marco-kasper-and-austrians-hope-to-take-another-step","meta":{"title":"Marco Kasper And Austrians Hope To Take Another Step","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/marco-kasper-and-austrians-hope-to-take-another-step","description":"\n\nLast\nyear, Austria nearly made the quarterfinals for the first time since\n1994 and had a flair for the dramatic. The\nAustrians erased a 6-1 deficit in the third period against Canada,\nultimately losing 7-6 in overtime, and also had a comeback win over\nFinland on a last-second goal. Then, needing a win to advance, they\ninexplicably\ndropped their last game to Great Britain, 4-2.\n","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/d6f81444-251d-47e9-a246-9101c8bb8466.jpeg","type":"jpeg"}}}},{"id":"0i2fXw5B6r","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"As much as he’s glad to be playing for Austria, this was\nsupposed to be the year that the Red Wings were finally able to break\nthrough and make the playoffs. Although they didn’t, it was a solid\nrookie season from a personal standpoint, recording 37 points in 77\nNHL games. \n"}},{"id":"GIeoFWtviG","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"“It was an up-and-down season,” he said. “Even though we\ndidn’t reach the playoffs, I think we played pretty good hockey at\nthe end there. I think we’ve just gotta keep working hard and win\nmore.”"}},{"id":"_pgDxlqYei","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"He’s hopeful for better things next year for both himself and\nhis team, and doesn’t take playing in the NHL for granted, either."}},{"id":"zNvbi8ndTV","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"“Playing against the best players in the world every game is a\ncool experience and to be part of a great organization like the Red\nWings, I’m happy to be there and I hope to stay there many more\nyears.” \n"}},{"id":"x19l1jzauu","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/community/latest-news/filip-forsberg-you-can-talk-crap-about-austria-as-much-as-you-want-but-theyre-good-1","meta":{"title":"Filip Forsberg: ‘You Can Talk [Crap] About Austria As Much As You Want, But They’re Good’ - Community Post","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/community/latest-news/filip-forsberg-you-can-talk-crap-about-austria-as-much-as-you-want-but-theyre-good-1","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e0e0bd82-bcff-4b85-b97a-62a133720b4d.jpeg","type":"jpeg"}}}}],"version":"2.31.0-rc.7"}

Marco Kasper: ‘I Don’t Think There’s Any Pressure’ To Lead Austria To Quarters