Detroit — The pictures were all over social media and for many Red Wings fans, it was a stark realization of how old many of them are.
The pictures of Marco Kasper, 19, graduating high school in Sweden earlier this spring and beaming in his school uniform.
It shows how relatively young Kasper still is. But also shows the dedication and will that are also some of Kasper’s main attributes on the ice.
“In Sweden it’s hard to try to juggle school and hockey,” said Kasper, who happens to speak fluent Swedish, German and English. “I managed to do it with help from the teachers and principal.”
A typical day in Sweden the last couple seasons was practice early in the morning, work out, have lunch, then go to school. Kasper would get his classes done, maybe get caught up in his school work right after, then go home, have dinner, and finish up more homework.
“Then do it all over again the next day,” Kasper said.
It was important for Kasper to get the education part of his life completed before fully concentrating on becoming a professional hockey player.
“I’m trying to become a hockey player but it was important for me and my family to graduate,” Kasper said. “It’s good for younger players to focus on other things instead of only focusing on hockey. You can take your mind off hockey and just go to school, meet other kids, and have fun outside of hockey.”
Kasper took part in the recent Wings development camp for prospects and showed no signs of the leg injury he sustained in the one NHL game he played in last season.
The NHL debut came after an impressive season playing for Rogle BK in Sweden, where Kasper had 23 points (15 assists) in 52 games in the Swedish Hockey League. Kasper also had 72 penalty minutes, maybe displaying some of the willingness to play a gritty, agitating game.
“That’s a little bit of how penalties are called in Sweden,” Kasper said. “If you scrum you can possibly get a five-plus 20-minute major.”
With the offseason additions general manager Steve Yzerman has made to the forwards, it’s unlikely Kasper will make the opening night lineup. For Kasper’s own development, pro seasoning in Grand Rapids was likely going to be the case regardless.
But it probably isn’t going to take too long before Kasper graduates to the NHL. The responsibility he plays with on the ice, the attention to both sides of the rink, along with his competitiveness and desire to be an NHL player have stood out to the Wings and Dan Cleary, director of player development.
“He’s wanting more and more and more,” Cleary said. “There’s no issue with Kasper’s work ethic and determination. He’s got high character, and he’s just a good person.”
Motivational tool
Alexandre Doucet has certainly showed the ability to score goals at the junior level. At a prolific pace, actually, including 58 goals between two teams last season in the Quebec junior league.
The Wings, who need goal-scoring in the organization, signed Doucet, 21, as an undrafted free agent last spring. Doucet’s lack of speed and strength kept him from being on teams’ draft boards.
But over the last year or two, Doucet has worked on those areas, and his ability to get to the net and finish has produced offense.
“When I was 17 I wasn’t the fastest, wasn’t the strongest in the corner, but I’ve learned to get stronger,” Doucet said at development camp earlier this month. “I’m more smart in the corners. I play more like a pro game a little bit more. I go more to the net. I play more inside of the dots.
“It’s all the details I’ve learned.”
Doucet has used not being drafted as something that drives him to make the NHL.
“Even my draft year I knew I wasn’t going to get drafted, so it’s more like not being drafted is a motivation,” Doucet said. “It’s my first camp, too, so it’s just hard work and not being drafted, not having (any development) camp and finally I had a great year as a 20-year-old last year.
“A couple of teams saw that and the Red Wings, too.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan