Detroit — Way back when Wednesday, before the free-agent frenzy began, the Red Wings began the day with another sort of signing.
The Wings inked forward Marco Kasper, the first-round draft pick in last week’s NHL Entry Draft (eighth overall), to a three-year entry-level contract.
Kasper, 18, will spend at least another season playing for Rogle BK in the Swedish Hockey League before beginning his pro career with the Wings in North America.
The Wings liked Kasper from early in the scouting process, mainly for his impressive two-way performance for such a young player, his instincts, and competitive style.
“He’s not super-flashy with backhand toe-drags and whatever,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “He makes the right play, can make a pass, he’s got a good shot. He can carry the puck up the ice. He’s very efficient.
“He plays very simple. He drives to the net. He’ll drive down the wing. He can take the puck to the net. He’ll also pull up and look for the late guy, or he can find a guy through the seams.
“I really like everything about the way he plays. He’s got good hockey sense. We think he’s a good, solid, all-around hockey player.”
Kasper, a native of Austria, had seven goals and 11 assists (18 points) in 46 games for Rogle. HIs overall performance elevated during the SHL playoffs.
“To me he was one of the best players on the ice as a 17-year-old kid,” said Kris Draper, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “He seemed to embrace that moment. As the games got bigger, he got better.”
While in Rogle, Kasper will be teammates with Wings prospects forward Theodor Niederbach and defenseman William Wallinder.
Returning (close to) home
Defenseman Ben Chiarot is returning closer to home.
Chiarot grew up in Hamilton, Ontario and currently lives in Kitchener. He also has plenty of relatives in Windsor, just across the bridge. So, this was pretty much returning home.
“It’s good for me with a young family, there’s a number of factors that played into it,” Chiarot said. “I grew up in Hamilton and it was hard not to follow the Wings when they were winning a Stanley Cup every couple of years. There are a lot of Wings fans in my area, and good memories watching them back then.
“Once I knew Detroit was interested, and my agent and Steve were able to work out a deal, that was a pretty easy choice for me. A team that’s on the rise, built by Steve Yzerman, and then a place close to home for my family. It’s a great spot for me.”
Chiarot’s physical style could blend well with NHL rookie of the year Moritz Seider, who could be Chiarot’s defensive partner.
“An impressive young defenseman,” Chiarot said. “He does kind of everything real well. Plays a physical style which you don’t see a ton of anymore with young guys coming in, with an edge. Moritz doesn’t back down out there. He was a fun guy to watch this year and I’m looking forward to getting out there with him.”
Reuniting feels good
Forward Andrew Copp (Ann Arbor Skyline/Michigan), who signed a free agent contract with the Wings Wednesday, is again teammates with Dylan Larkin.
They played together at Michigan for a season.
“Being his captain at Michigan, and now he’s my captain in Detroit, that’s pretty cool,” Copp said.
Copp talked with Larkin leading into the free agency window.
“A couple days ago, just kind of bouncing ideas off him and seeing where he’s at,” Copp said. “It was a really encouraging talk and he always hinted I’d come back home. We’ve talked (Wednesday) and talked about the additions and both of us are really excited.”
Copp has been impressed with the way Yzerman constructed Tampa into a championship contender, and now building the Wings.
“Steve was there (Tampa) and kind of drafted a bunch of those guys and turned that into a big part of where they’re at today,” Copp said. “Then just seeing the product on the ice the last couple of years, and (Lucas) Raymond and Seider, and the influx of talent, everyone across the league saw that as an opportunity of where Detroit is going to be in a couple of years and I’d like to be part of that and continue to grow with the team.”
Quick improvement
Forward David Perron, who signed with the Wings Wednesday, was part of the Vegas expansion team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals. Perron saw first hand how a team can come together quickly and build into a championship contender.
Perron would like to bring those lessons to the Wings.
“I lived it in Vegas,” Perron said. “I learned it big time there and it’s something I can bring the experiences to this team. This team is ready to start competing on a regular basis, and who knows what can happen from there.”
Perron is reunited with former St. Louis Blues goalie Ville Husso, forwards Oskar Sundqvist and Robby Fabbri and defenseman Jake Walman on the Wings. Fabbri, Sundqvist and Perron were part of the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup winning team.
“Those are guys I exchanged texts with already,” Perron said. “When you have familiar faces to join a group, I’m looking forward to it. Some of the guys, we won a Stanley Cup in St. Louis and we’d like to bring some of that success to Detroit.”
Depth moves
The Wings also signed forward Austin Czarnik, a Trenton native, to a two-year, two-way contract and Matt Luff to a one-year, two-way contract.
Czarnik, 29, spent time with the New York Islanders and Seattle last season, with five points in 11 games with the Islanders, along with two assists in six appearances for the Kraken
Luff, 25, had six points (three goals, three assists) in 23 games with Nashville. Luff had 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 31 games for Milwaukee (AHL).
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan