Steve Kasper

Early years

Kasper grew up in the Montreal area in a small town called Saint-Lambert. He began playing hockey at the age of 5 in local out door rinks. He later stated "I was very fortunate we had the climate and the town had the facilities for us. Every day we weren't in school we were out skating." Growing up his favorite player was Jean Beliveau and he enjoyed watching the Montreal Canadiens.

At the age of five, Kasper began playing in the Saint-Lambert Minor Hockey Association and continued to play in the league until he was 16. He then began playing with the Verdun Éperviers and the Sorel Black Hawks in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. After scoring 71 points in his first year with the team in 1977–78, he followed this up with a 100+ point season with 37 goals 67 assists in the 1978–79 QMJHL season. Kasper then followed this up with a second consecutive 100-point campaign scoring 57 goals and 65 assists in the 1979–80 QMJHL season.

Boston Bruins (1980–1989)

Following back-to-back 100+ point seasons, Kasper was chosen as the 81st overall pick by the Boston Bruins in the 1980 NHL entry draft. Kasper never played in the minors, immediately earning a spot on the Bruins roster. During his rookie year in the 1980–81 season, Kasper appeared in 76 games and scored 21 goals with 35 assists for 57 total points. Kasper also quickly emerged as one of the league’s best checking players of his day. Despite Kasper’s physical stature not being impressive (5’8″ and 175 pounds), he was known for showing tremendous will and effort throughout his career not letting anything get in his way.

In his second season in 1981–82, Kasper continued to show off his defensive/checking abilities while also having a solid scoring touch having another 20-goal season along with 31 assists in 73 total games. For his defensive prowess, Kasper was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward, beating out Bob Gainey, who had won the trophy the previous four seasons. During the Stanley Cup playoffs, Kasper scored his first three postseason goals along with six assists, however the Bruins were eliminated by the Quebec Nordiques in the divisional round.

Kasper would miss all but 24 games of the 1982–83 season with a torn capsule in his left shoulder. The injury required arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage on November 9, 1982, and then major reconstructive surgery on December 7. He returned for the Bruins playoff run, which saw him score two goals in the second round series Buffalo before playing in just two games of the third round versus the Islanders. Kasper was healthy enough to start the opening games of the 1983–84 season but became sore in November due to a separated shoulder versus Quebec that saw him miss all of December, January, and most of February when he re-aggravated it in trying to return that month to play as he played in just 27 games, contributing three goals and 11 assists.

Kasper made a full recovery and managed to stay healthy during the 1984–85 season, scoring a hat trick on November 25, 1984, vs. Montreal. Kasper would also return to form as one of the top defensive forwards and finished the with 77 total appearances scoring 16 goals and 24 assists. However, the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the postseason. The 1985-86 seen Kasper appear in all 80 games for the only time in his career scoring 40 points once again with 17 goals and 23 assists. He and the Bruins once again faced first round elimination in the playoffs.

Kasper missed the first game of the 1986–87 season to go back to Montreal so he could be with his wife as she gave birth to their first child. From here he did not miss another game and was put on the same line as Cam Neely. The two would stay on the same line for the remainder of Kasper's tenure with Boston. In 79 total games, Kasper scored 20 goals and collected 30 assists, but once again he and the Bruins were beaten in the first round. The following year in the 1987–88 season, Kasper would have his best statistical season with 70 points in 76 games (26 goals and 44 assists). He would recorded a four-point game (with two goals and assists each) in a Bruins 8-3 victory over Calgary on November 17, 1987. During the playoffs, he would contribute 13 points on 7 goals and 6 assists in 23 games as the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final, where they were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers, 4–0 with one tie. He finished the season runner up to Guy Carbonneau for the Selke Trophy.

During his time with the Bruins, Kasper’s job was to shadow Wayne Gretzky when the team played Edmonton due to his defensive excellence. During these matchups, he would gain notoriety for being one of the few players that could effectively shut Gretzky down with his shadowing strategy.

Los Angeles Kings (1989–1991)

After playing more than half of the 1988–89 season with the Bruins, Kasper was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Bobby Carpenter. During this tenure he would enjoy some success with the Kings, playing with Wayne Gretzky and Bernie Nicholls. That year, Kasper appeared in 78 total games finishing with 19 goals and 31 assists. Kasper scored six points in eleven postseason games as the Kings were eliminated in the divisional round.

The 1989–90 season saw Kasper make appear in 77 games, netting 17 goals and 28 assists as he and the Kings were once again beaten in the second round. Kasper missed part of the following season with a ruptured sinus cavity and a fractured eye socket, which he suffered during a January 2, 1991, game vs. the New York Rangers. He would go on to finish the year with 9 goals and 19 assists in 67 games played. During the postseason, he scored 10 points in 10 games as the Kings were eliminated by Edmonton in the divisional round.

Later career with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay (1991–1993)

Prior to the 1991–92 season, Kasper along with Steve Duchesne, were dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers. Kasper only appeared in 16 games for the Flyers that year after tearing his ACL in his right knee during a game vs Edmonton on November 14, 1991. Kasper made a full recovery the following year and played 21 games for the Flyers before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He then missed part of the season with a bruised shoulder, which he suffered during Tampa Bay's January 30, 1993 game vs. Minnesota. Kasper then retired at the end of the year due to chronic concussions and other injuries. He finished his thirteen-year NHL career with 177 goals and 291 assists for 468 total points.