With the start of the new NHL season, two Austrians are once again in the spotlight of the best ice hockey in the world: Marco Rossi and Marco Kasper want to take the next step with their teams Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings – and make it into the play-offs “together” for the first time.
Rossi as a top performer in Minnesota
Vorarlberg’s Marco Rossi has established himself as an integral part of the Minnesota Wild in recent years. After a strong preseason with 60 points (24 goals, 36 assists) and a new three-year contract worth $15 million, the 24-year-old is heading into the new season with great confidence.
“I feel stronger than last year,” said Rossi before the opening duel against St. Louis. However, he knows that the league has no breaks: “The NHL is tough, you have to stay cool and look after yourself,” the Vorarlberg native told the “Crown newspaper“.
Rossi, who hasn’t missed a single game in the past 191 games, emphasizes how important regeneration and nutrition are in the dense schedule: “You often don’t get home until night – food is the be-all and end-all.”
In Minnesota he forms the top forward line with Matt Boldy and superstar Kirill Kaprizov, who recently signed a record contract for $136 million. Kaprizov praises his Austrian line partner: “He makes great progress from year to year, it’s fun to play with him.”
Marco Kasper wants to go one step further in his second season
Marco Kasper is also starting his second full NHL season ambitiously. After an impressive rookie season with 19 goals and 18 assists, the 21-year-old Carinthian is considered a fixture in the top 6 strikers for the Detroit Red Wings.
“I worked a lot over the summer on getting stronger and faster – especially on my shot,” says Kasper, who forms an attack line together with stars Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat.
Head coach Todd McLellan raves about the young Austrian: “He is incredibly mature for his age. You can tell on and off the ice that he knows exactly what he wants.” Despite the praise, Kasper remains modest: “Every season starts from scratch.” His big goal: to finally reach the play-offs again with Detroit – something the traditional club has not achieved since 2017.
Image: facebook.com/DETROITREDWINGS
