East is East and West is West, but until you can play North and South, you can’t move up to the NHL. Lukas Kaspar is developing a new sense of direction.
“He is still learning to play the North/South instead of East/West game,” Cleveland Barons head Coach Roy Sommer said of the 20-year-old. “He has really made some strides here and is starting to adapt and figure it out. In this league, he is playing against guys that may be playing in the NHL 1 or 2 days from now. In the junior league, there weren’t as many.”
Kaspar agreed.
“I had to adjust my play to play to the type of game they play over here,” Kaspar said. “It is so much of a faster pace. It’s totally different here than back in my own country. The rink is bigger.”
Playing in the NHL is the driving force for Kaspar’s professional development.
“The NHL is my dream and I am going to give up everything for that,” he said.
Adjusting to the physical play of the AHL is one of the biggest challenges.
“I am still getting used to the bigger guys and trying to stay more confident in my first year in the AHL,” Kaspar said.
Kaspar made his North American debut with the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL and finished 4th among league rookies in points (51), tied for fifth in assists (30) and sixth in goals (21). He had six power play goals and tied for 4th on the team. Kaspar led all rookies with 20 points in post-season play.
In 2004, Kaspar represented his country in the Junior World Championship games in North Dakota. In 2003, he earned a promotion to Czech Republic Extra League after posting 29 points in 27 games with Litvinov’s Under-20 team at the start of season
Kaspar was drafted in the first round in the 2004 draft by the San Jose Sharks.
- Jason Blasco
