Marco Rossi was one of the pieces coming back to Vancouver as part of the Quinn Hughes trade.
After months of trying, the Vancouver Canucks have finally acquired Marco Rossi. The 24-year-old center was part of the Quinn Hughes package, which also saw Vancouver acquire Liam Öhgren, Zeev Buium and a first-round pick. On the surface, Rossi is an intriguing piece that should help the Canucks now and in the future.
As mentioned, Vancouver's interest in Rossi can be traced back to the off-season. The Austrian center was constantly mentioned as a trade target for the Canucks as the organization looked to increase their center depth. In the end, Vancouver got their guy as Rossi joins the Canucks organization.
Rossi is a middle-six forward who can fill the Canucks vacant second-line center role. In 17 games this year, he has 13 points and is coming off back-to-back 20+ goal seasons. Listed at 5'9", 185 lbs, Rossi has won 48.6 of his draws this year and can play on both the power play and penalty kill.
The first thing that jumps out when looking at Rossi is his size. Just like Conor Garland, Rossi can use his size to his advantage as he often evades defenders along the wall. Rossi is also not afraid to crash the net and has a knack for winning position battles against defenders.
While Rossi has shown he can score 20+ goals in the NHL, he is more known for his playmaking ability. He put up a career-high 36 assists last season and recorded 117 helpers in 109 games during his time in the OHL. Rossi's ability to generate offence in the OHL was one of the reasons the Wild drafted him ninth overall in 2020, as he led the CHL in points during his draft year.
Speaking of his draft year, Rossi was the sixth-ranked prospect in The Hockey News' 2020 Draft Preview edition. At the time, his best case comparison was Nico Hischier. Here is what was written about Rossi.
"Rossi, who won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s top scorer, was also one of the most popular players in the league’s annual coaches poll. He was named the smartest player, best playmaker and best shootout shooter in the Eastern Conference, while placing top-three in three more categories. "I love the way he plays," said one scout. "I compare him with Nico Hischier but with a little more bite in his game. Guys try to get under his skin, and he won’t have any of it. He’s skilled, smart, sees the ice well and plays the game the right way. I’m a big fan."
Playing for coach Andre Tourigny in Ottawa, the Austrian import made it a point to try and dominate in practice in order to get better. Keep in mind, the 67’s were one of the best teams in the entire major junior ranks. "He’s got a ton of skill, has the ability to play the game with pace and to play fast and execute and make decisions," said another scout. "Physically, he might be the guy closest in the OHL to being NHL ready. He's a physical specimen, he's a workhorse, and he can think the game at that speed."
The big question moving forward is, can Rossi be Vancouver's second-line center for the foreseeable future? He has shown that he can play with elite players like Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, but with the Canucks, he will most likely be relied upon to elevate his wingers. Ultimately, Rossi has shown he is a talented player and will now be spotlighted a bit more than he was in Minnesota.
In the end, Vancouver adds a talented center that can at least help their issues down the middle in the immediate future. Rossi has proven he can be impactful at the NHL level and should help the Canucks produce more offence. If Rossi can keep improving, he should be able to consistently put up over 50 points a season.
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