As previously noted, Marco Kasper scored a “Michigan” goal while playing summer hockey in Austria’s the “Sunshine Hockey League”…
And Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a really nice postscript to Kasper’s goal:
“He is a real good story,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan acknowledged. “I think Kasp is somebody that everybody gravitates to, simply stat-wise and stylistic-wise.”
Now, getting excited about an NHL player scoring a highlight-reel goal in a summer league isn’t something you should probably be elevating to a high level of optimism. Top players, especially those with high-end skill, are going to have some fun, maybe even show off a big in such an environment.
Here’s the thing, though – his pulling off a Michigan is patented Kasper. This is a player who has displayed a willingness to try something new. Kasper isn’t afraid to push boundaries, to see what he can accomplish.
That alone puts him in distinct company in today’s NHL, in which coaches devote so much energy to turning players into cookie-cutter north-south robots. Finding a Picasso in the paint-by-numbers aisle is a blessing in itself.
“I’m always giving my best to get better,” Kasper said. “I know it’s going to be hard next year. I personally feel like I had a pretty good year, but it’s going to be really hard to come back and do just like that and even improve what I want.”
Kasper was definitely having fun playing 4-on-4 hockey with the “Lendhafen Seelöwen” in the league’s championship game, no doubt. These kinds of summer hockey leagues include minimal checking and less-than-mean-and-nasty play…
But his goal is still an expression of sublime skill, and, as Duff suggests, it’s not necessarily surprising given Kasper’s level of individual skill. Kasper is a strong two-way forward who plays with pluck, but he’s got hands, too.
That, and it’s just pretty damn cool. The fans who packed the Heidi Horten Arena in Kasper’s hometown of Klagenfurt must have said “wow!” upon seeing Kasper score.
