Steve Kasper

Did You Know?

• Kasper started his own company, Kasper Sports Management International, in 1998 and worked as a sports agent until 2009; one of his clients was Chris Bourque, son of former teammate Ray Bourque.
• He grew up in Saint-Lambert, Quebec, and his favorite player was Jean Beliveau.
• Kasper still resides in Andover, Massachusetts.

Playing career

Kasper grew up in Saint-Lambert, a small town in the Montreal area, and began playing hockey at age five on local outdoor rinks. He played in the Saint-Lambert Minor Hockey Association until age 16, then joined the Verdun Éperviers and the Sorel Black Hawks of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In his first QMJHL season (1977–78) he scored 71 points, followed by consecutive 100-point campaigns: 37 goals and 67 assists in 1978–79, and 57 goals with 65 assists in 1979–80.

Selected 81st overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1980 NHL entry draft, Kasper never played in the minors, earning a roster spot immediately. As a rookie he appeared in 76 games, recording 21 goals and 35 assists for 57 points. Despite being 5'8" and 175 pounds, he became known for his checking ability and relentless effort. In his second NHL season he posted another 20-goal year with 31 assists in 73 games and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward, ending Bob Gainey's four-year hold on the award.

During that year's Stanley Cup playoffs, Kasper scored his first three postseason goals and added six assists, but the Bruins were eliminated by the Quebec Nordiques in the divisional round.

Coaching career

Kasper returned to Boston as an assistant coach under Brian Sutter. On July 22, 1994, he was named the first head coach of the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, leading them to a 39-30-11 record and a second-round playoff loss. He replaced Sutter as Bruins head coach for the 1995–96 season, guiding the team to 91 points before a first-round defeat by the Florida Panthers. The following season the Bruins won only 26 games, and Kasper was fired and replaced by Pat Burns; this marked the first time in 28 years the Bruins missed the playoffs.

On May 3, 2007, he became head coach of the Yarmouth Mariners of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. After the team finished last the previous year, Kasper led them to a first-place regular-season finish (42-12-4), the Eastlink division championship, and the 2008 Kent Cup title over the Woodstock Slammers in six games. He was hired as director of pro scouting for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013, a position he held for two years until his firing on April 12, 2015.

Kasper then coached China's U18 team in 2017 to a 2-2-0 record, served as an assistant at Kunlun Red Star from 2018 to 2020, and later became head coach of DVTK Jegesmedvék for the 2023–24 season. In 2024 he took over HC Presov in Slovakia, leading them to a 27-4 record and first place in the regular season, but stepped down before the playoffs due to a serious family issue; the team won the league championship and promotion to the Slovak Extraliga.