Q&A: Alscher talks NHL debut, growth & more!

FORT LAUDERDALE – Welcome to the show, Marek Alscher.

Called up from the Charlotte Checkers to man the blue line for the injury-riddled Florida Panthers, the 22-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut at Ottawa on April 9.

The following game, he recorded the first point of his young career, dishing out an assist during a 6-2 win at Toronto on Saturday.

Selected by the Panthers in the third round (93^rd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, Alscher saw over 19 minutes of ice time in both games.

“I was really impressed with the level that Marek played at, the intensity level of his game,” head coach Paul Maurice said of Alscher, who’s in the midst of his second professional season. “It wasn’t necessarily the physicality of it. He was bumping people, but he was hard to get pucks, hard to get pucks out. He made a couple of plays that aren’t highlight, but they’re difficult to make.”

Following Monday’s morning skate at Baptist Health IcePlex, I had the chance to sit down with Alscher to chat about his debut, his goals for the future and much more.

OLIVE: Now that you’ve had a few days to let it sink in, what will you remember most about your NHL debut?

ALSCHER: I think the first step on the ice. After that, the game got a little bit blurry for me. I was just not trying to think about it too much. I just wanted to get all the emotions that I could from that game and help the team as much as I can. I wanted to show everything I’ve got. For sure, the rookie lamp and then before the game, during the anthem, I was just looking around and realizing where I’m at.

OLIVE: After building toward that moment your whole life, what did it feel like once your debut was over?

ALSCHER: I think it’s something that I’ll maybe think about more in the summer. It feels normal right now, which is weird. I think the first day was, of course, tough to fall asleep. But then it went quick. It was surprising for me how fast I felt normal.

OLIVE: You only had to wait one more game to record your first NHL point. How nice was it to get that out of the way?

ALSCHER: I’m happy. I’m happy that it happened quick and that I could help the team get that win. It was huge to get the first win.

OLIVE: How nice is it that your first NHL point came while assisting fellow Czechia native Tomas Nosek on a goal?

ALSCHER: It was nice. I just made a little play to Nose. He ripped it. I think he got the assist for me then I got the pass for him.

OLIVE: As a young player, how much are you learning from the coaching staff here with the Panthers?

ALSCHER: It’s huge. Every single word they say, I take it and think about it. I’m just trying to take as much as I can from them and learn from the best. I’ve got huge respect for everyone here. When they’re trying to help you, you should really listen.

OLIVE: Now that you’ve gotten a taste of the NHL, how do you feel about where your game is at?

ALSCHER: I feel comfortable on the ice. I can definitely play. I didn’t really look back the game because I’m just trying to go day by day and not really look back. From what I remember, I felt really good on the ice. I felt good defending the players, breaking out. I don’t know where I am, but I can say that I feel pretty good.

OLIVE: How much do you think this new experience will help you during the summer?

ALSCHER: First, it’s a huge motivation. It gives you a feeling of where you can be if you just keep working hard and getting better. That’s the one thing that’s already motivating me. Yeah, you just start to see those little things that the defensemen do that can make them play regularly in the NHL. Those are the things that I’m trying to catch now and trying to look at so that I can work on that in the summer.

OLIVE: Speaking of those little things, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better teacher than Gustav Forsling. What have you been able to pick up from him so far?

ALSCHER: I think it’s his work with the stick. Everyone can see that he’s so dangerous with the stick. That’s something that I can work on a lot. He’s good at everything, but the stick is elite.

OLIVE: After two games on the road, how much are you looking forward to your first home game as a Panther against the Rangers on Monday?

ALSCHER: I’m obviously very excited to be here. I’ve played some preseason games here, but it’s not the same. I’m really excited to play here in Florida.

OLIVE: How different a feeling is it when you wear that Panthers jersey now compared to the preseason?

ALSCHER: It’s the games. The preseason is kind of chaotic. Guys don’t always know what to do. It’s half the guys that are going to play and half guys that are going to AHL or back to juniors. The play is kind of chaotic because everyone is excited. Now, it’s all structure. There’s all the meetings and every guy knows what to do. It’s different.

OLIVE: How did you spend your off day in Florida on Sunday?

ALSCHER: I slept a lot [laughs]. I didn’t get to my room until three in the morning. I slept until about 11 a.m., and then called my parents. After that, I called my coach back in Czechia. My girlfriend came down, so we went out for a cup of coffee. There was some kind of food festival right in front of our hotel. It was good. We got some kind of cornbread filled with cheese. Then I got some Mexican food. It was really good. We kind of just hung around and then went for a walk. I showed her the arena a little bit.

OLIVE: What was it like catching up with your parents after your NHL debut?

ALSCHER: It was good. I always make fun of the fact no one from our family played hockey, so they’re not like hockey fans. They root for me and they’re super excited, but they don’t care about the game. They just care about if I enjoyed it and if I’m doing OK. That’s what they want to hear. It’s nice. It also doesn't put pressure on me since they don’t watch hockey [laughs]. They just want me to enjoy and be happy.