The Kronen Zeitung out of Austria is usually paywalled, but MSN Start posted an article about Marco Kasper that snuck past the paywall. The article’s author, Marcel Santer, reports that Kasper has gained two kilograms’ worth of muscle mass–and that he’s going to participate in Olympic qualifying play for Austria at the end of this month.
Here’s a rough translation of the German-language article:
Two kilos more! Kasper works hard for his NHL Dream
Marco Kasper played in one NHL game for the Detroit Red Wings in April of 2023, but he spent the past season with the Grand Rapids Griffins farm team. In order to be able to show off in Detroit’s training cam pin September, the 20-year-old is training hard–and has already gained two kilos of muscle. Before that, however, he will take part in Olympic qualifying with Austria.
“I have to become a man in order to be able to survive in the NHL,” says top ice hockey talent Marco Kasper. That’s why the 20-year-old has worked hard over the summer, and gained two kilos of muscle mass as compared to last year. At a height of 1.86 meters, he now weighs almost 91 kilograms.
“That’s really important for the duels and faceoffs–you have to be in top shape,” emphasizes the Klagenfurt native, who got better and better over the course of the season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins during his previous season.
Camp in September
In September, the Klagenfurt native wants to present himself strongly again in NHL training camp with the Detroit Red Wings, and of course, earn a spot in the lineup: “We have so many strong players in the extended team, the quality of Detroit is really amazing! I have to fight for a spot in camp and give it my all.”
Training plans from Detroit
That’s why he’s putting in a lot of effort in the summer, too, and has received training plans from his NHL team. “I’m allowed to train with KAC Klagenfurt’s weight room, and I’m already going on the ice at the Heidi Horten Arena. It’s really cool that the rink was finished so early this season,” says Marco, who of course meets his childhood friends like Fabian Hochegger, Finn van Ee and David Maier with the Red Jackets: “It’s really fun with the guys.”
Going to Slovakia for the Olympics
Before heading back to North America in September, the center still has a big goal: he wants to qualify for the Olympics with Austria in Slovakia from August 29th to September 1st, against the favored home Slovaks, Kazakhstan, and Hungary: “The plan is that I can help there–I haven’t heard anything to the contrary from my team Detroit so far. It doesn’t take place during the NHL camp.”
According to Eishockey Magazin, Kasper is also going to take part in HC TWK Innsbruck’s training camp at Innsbruck, Austria’s Tiroler Wasserkraft Arena this Wednesday, August 7th.
The HC TWK Innsbruck “Haie,” a.k.a. “Sharks,” are taking to the ice on Wednesday for the first time, and Kasper will be signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.
Kasper’s father, Peter, is a former professional hockey player who spent time with HC Innsbruck, and Peter happens to be Marco’s agent, so dad and Innsbruck’s GM, Max Steinacher, set up the public appearance.
The event takes place from 5-6:20 PM Wednesday at TWK Arena.
