After September 16th, 2026, NHL teams will no longer be allowed to sign their players to contracts of a maximum 8-year term; the “new CBA” drops the contract max down to 7 years.
Ironically enough, the Hockey News’s Erik Cruikshank suggests that it’s Marco Kasper who the Red Wings need to lock up for an 8-year term–at an affordable rate–before the salary cap skyrockets over the next couple of seasons:
Marco Kasper, Detroit Red Wings
The Dylan Larkin saga could have a ripple effect throughout the Detroit Red Wings’ organization if his trade request comes to fruition.
With a big hole potentially left at the center position in his absence, Marco Kasper suddenly emerges as a candidate to land a long-term extension.
The Austrian center saw a steep decline in offensive production during his sophomore season, scoring only nine goals and finishing with 19 points after potting 19 goals and 37 points in 2024-25.
That drop-off could create some reasonable concerns for the next GM in Detroit and impact their willingness to commit to an eight-year deal. However, the Red Wings might be in a position where they need to make bets on young players they already have in order to become relevant in the Atlantic Division.
There is enough talent to salvage this competitive window that the Red Wings have been building towards, with or without Larkin. If the organization believes Kasper’s latest season will only be a blip in his upward trajectory, an eight-year deal at a reasonable cap hit could pay off in spades.
Continued; I’m a big believer in the 22-year-old Austrian with the dog named Daisy. Kasper’s a stocky 6’1″ and 203 pounds, he loves to hit players on the forecheck, and while he struggled to win puck battles and utilize his strength over more than a hit-by-hit basis last season…
He’s a spunky competitor and a strong professionally-minded player. He’s going to rebound and he’s going to rebound well.
Is signing Kasper as important as signing Edvinsson as a restricted free agent? Not quite, but it would be really nice if the Wings could get both pieces of business done before training camp begins in mid-September.
