Kase admits he had no idea how this season would unfold for himself after suffering a few injuries right off the hop - which unfortunately fit right in with the rest of the Ducks this campaign. However, true to the "Energizer Bunny" nickname bestowed upon him from head coach Randy Carlyle, Kase bounced back. "Reaching 20 goals is good for me," he says. "I'm happy. But the biggest thing is we made the playoffs."
His work ethic and enthusiasm for the game is infectious. His chemistry with linemates Nick Ritchie and Adam Henrique is unmistakable. Carlyle says each player brings unique qualities that helps the line as a whole. "If you can have people give him the puck in those situations, and if you get 'Big Ritch' going to the front of the net taking people to him, that allows Kase and Henrique to move the puck effectively in the offensive zone," Carlyle said to reporters. "The trio seems to work well off each other."
But the harmony between the three extends beyond the rink, Kase says. "We speak together off the ice, too. The chemistry is there for everything."
Kase and Ritchie are roommates on the road, but that wasn't always the case. He used to room with young defenseman Brandon Montour, but that experience was short-lived. "He snored so bad," Kase said, just as Montour happened to walk past him in the locker room. "We needed a change. It was actually pretty loud. I felt bad for him! Ritchie is a good guy. We have fun." Overhearing, Montour countered, "Don't ever listen to anything that guys says."
Although he gets more comfortable speaking English with every passing day, Kase says he was recently reminded there is room for improvement. "I saw a [comment] on my Instagram," he says, with a smile. "Somebody said my English is still brutal."
A man of many nicknames, Kase made sure to address them.
The origin of "Drej," he says, dates back to last season when former Ducks forward Joseph Cramarossa opted to keep it simple. "My first name is spelled Ondrej with the 'J,' so Crammer just started calling me 'Drej' for short," Kase says. "So a couple guys started calling me that."
"Kaser" seems to be the most common nickname amongst his teammates, even though his last name is actually pronounced KAH-shuh, and he says Henrique is the only one who calls him "Kachi."
On the cusp of the postseason, Kase was asked if he was planning on shaving his already fertile beard and starting fresh for the playoffs. Without hesitation, he shot down that idea. "I can't right now," he says. "I'm not shaving. I waited for this for two months, so I can't shave it."
Before he could even finish his sentence, he busted out in laughter. Such is life for Kase, the kind of guy you can't help but root for - and laugh along with him the whole way.