Home / NHL / NHL Trade Rumors: Will Detroit Red Wings Dangle Marco Kasper, Acquire 2nd-Line Center?

NHL Trade Rumors: Will Detroit Red Wings Dangle Marco Kasper, Acquire 2nd-Line Center?

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Updated –
We may use AI tools to support content creation and editing. While we aim for accuracy via strict editorial standards, readers should independently verify important information. Ads on our site are served by Google AdSense and are not controlled or influenced by our editorial team.
NHL Trade Rumors: Will Detroit Red Wings Dangle Marco Kasper, Acquire 2nd-Line Center?

With the Detroit Red Wings cruising toward victory, forward Lucas Raymond deflected a shot, which deflected in the air behind the Winnipeg Jets’ defense.  

Marco Kasper used his speed to retrieve the loose puck and initiate a 2-on-1 breakaway with teammate Dylan Larkin. Kasper, who opened the season with just six points in his opening 47 appearances, stickhanded the puck into the offensive zone and beat goalie Connor Hellebuyck with a hard wrist shot, clinching the 5-1 victory at Canada Life Centre last Saturday. 

Kasper’s late goal showed renewed confidence. It also displayed his point-producing potential. 

The effort appeared to be a stark contrast to his play on Jan. 5 when Kasper was a minus-2 during the Wings’ 5-3 win over the host Ottawa Senators. The 2022 No. 8 overall draft pick’s sophomore slump, which was lowlighted by a pointless December, reached rock bottom at minus-17. 

Kasper entered Tuesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Kings at Little Caesars Arena as a different competitor. In the five games he skated on the top line with Larkin and Raymond, Kasper recorded two goals and six points, with a plus-7 rating. 

Steve Yzerman is holding a valuable trade chip. NHL trade rumors indicate the Red Wings general manager could use Kasper’s resurgence as bait to land a coveted second-line center. 

NHL Trade Rumors Circulate On Marco Kasper 

With the Red Wings in position to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2016, here are three veteran centers Yzerman could target for Kasper and a top draft pick:

  • Nazem Kari: The Calgary Flames are burning down the roster. The 35-year-old continues to spark the Flames’ offense, what there is of it, anyway. He would give the Wings a top 1-2 center combination. One hurdle: Kari’s contract, which pays him $7 million through 2029. Would that deal age well?  
  • Ryan O’Reilly: The Nashville Predators look to be entering a rebuilding phase and their top-line center certainly would be a second-line upgrade over Andrew Copp. O’Reilly is known for a gritty style Detroit fans would grow to appreciate.
  • Alexis Lafrenière: The New York Rangers’ enigma would be one of the biggest – and most risky – deals Yzerman could engineer. The 2020 first-overall draft pick continues to struggle with consistency, but the 24-year-old likely would fit in with the Red Wings’ young roster. Signed for six additional seasons at $7.45 million per, Lafrenière could provide a long-term solution if he rediscovered his junior hockey scoring touch. 

Kasper could continue to develop into a dependable top-six scorer. He recently looked confident in the Red Wings’ aggressive system. Yzerman passed on the defenseman Quinn Hughes after the elite defenseman reportedly refused to talk contract extension before his December trade to the Minnesota Wild.  

The Red Wings, who entered Tuesday ranked second in the Atlantic Division, need a veteran center to help fuel a post-Olympic playoff push. Yzerman didn’t make a deadline deal last season.  

Don’t expect him to make that mistake again. 

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
All posts by Jeff Hawkins
Other News