Prospect Info: Marco Rossi, Center, 9th Overall - Part 2

[f7ben]

Its like Rossi has reached his peak as a player. It happens.

I’m not sure about that but his ceiling is getting lower every time he fails to show anything when it counts.

 

[DC4MVP]

I’m not sure about that but his ceiling is getting lower every time he fails to show anything when it counts.

The thing I don't like is that he's not really showing glimpses of flashing out there.

When he was in vs. Chicago, I legit forgot he was in the lineup as his name was rarely called. I think I only noticed it because it went from "Ross-E" to "Row-C"

Even if a top-flight prospect isn't NHL ready, they at least show something once in a while.

 

[TaLoN]

Even if a top-flight prospect isn't NHL ready, they at least show something once in a while.

Meh... not always. Tuch showed nothing in his Wild cup of coffee and half the forum here thought he was toast that quick.
Some guys take more time.

 

[DC4MVP]

Meh... not always. Tuch showed nothing in his Wild cup of coffee and half the forum here thought he was toast that quick.
Some guys take more time.

Good point but Tuch was never hyped nearly as high as Rossi was nor did I ever really consider Tucher a top-flight prospect (my opinion).

I 100% Rossi is going to be a good player but I am getting a bit worried we haven't seen few shifts of Rossi playing that makes you think "OK, if he can produce THIS on a consistent basis, we got something here" in the show. We see it in the AHL.

We have to remember, his 2020-2021 was wiped out completely and he's a year behind. I think next season will be when they need to get him consistent time in Minnesota. Consistency in playing time may help him A LOT as well. It can't be easy getting a cup of coffee here and there, getting scratched a few times, being sent back down, etc.

 

[TaLoN]

I thought he had good zone entries vs the Jets, but you can only do so much with Steel and Foligno, so I consider anything good to be a bright spot.
He looked solid in faceoffs

 

[DC4MVP]

I thought he had good zone entries vs the Jets, but you can only do so much with Steel and Foligno, so I consider anything good to be a bright spot.
He looked solid in faceoffs

That's good to hear. You miss a lot of that stuff on the radio. But yea not really the perfect linemates for a player with Rossi's style but obviously that can't break up the other lines.

Look what it did for Boldy playing next to Fiala last year and the spark he got playing with JoJo. It's certainly a big factor.

I mean Ryan Reaves' scoring would be heavily bogged down playing with enforcers like Kaprizov and Zucc.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

This is a bit hyperbolic

Based on... ?

 

[Minnewildsota]

Based on... ?

Based on Cam Barker, amongst numerous other players

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

Based on Cam Barker, amongst numerous other players

Cam Barker scored 40 points in 68 games as a defender

 

[Minnewildsota]

Cam Barker scored 40 points in 68 games as a defender

He was also -6…

So, Cam Barker has one “useful” year and he’s an (positive) impactful player.

Rossi in his D+2/3 year is already labeled as a bust. I say 2 because he missed a full year to COVID.

You should go to the Olympics for all the mental gymnastics you’re doing.

 

[Nino Noderreiter]

He was also -6…

So, Cam Barker has one “useful” year and he’s an (positive) impactful player.

Rossi in his D+2/3 year is already labeled as a bust. I say 2 because he missed a full year to COVID.

You should go to the Olympics for all the mental gymnastics you’re doing.

All I'm saying is that I haven't seen anything positive from Rossi at the NHL level. I have rarely seen a player flash so little. That isn't a comment on what will happen in the future. But, if your only argument is that players who have had good starts in the NHL aren't always good or other players have started slow so Rossi might improve... neither of those actually has much sound logic in it.

What I can say is that Rossi has looked really bad at the NHL level and nothing outside of reputation for me suggests that he's going to be better than that.

The thing I don't like is that he's not really showing glimpses of flashing out there.

When he was in vs. Chicago, I legit forgot he was in the lineup as his name was rarely called. I think I only noticed it because it went from "Ross-E" to "Row-C"

Even if a top-flight prospect isn't NHL ready, they at least show something once in a while.

I think this is the thing. It's that he's just not playing well, it's just the complete lack of impact. I see Ryan Reaves more with the puck and making more offensive plays and flashing more skills than Rossi.

 

[MNRube]

I liked what I saw this preseason. He was more assertive and the upside was pretty clear. The regular season version was timid and afraid of making a mistake.

I’m open to the idea of giving him some minutes at wing so he can develop offensive confidence with less defensive responsibility.

I do think the situation requires a more delicate touch and the fact is that both Evason & Guerin are hardasses

 

[keeneyedobserver]

Exactly. He has no grit to his game. When you combine that with no flash, you have major disappointment. Forget star level, he’s looking at a Sam Steel career.

 

[Puhis]

Remember how Mikael Granlund looked on his debut season? And how he then went on to become a near-PPG player who competed his ass off, especially in the playoffs?

 

[Wasted Talent]

Remember how Mikael Granlund looked on his debut season? And how he then went on to become a near-PPG player who competed his ass off, especially in the playoffs?

I do recall Granlund being more noticeable in his first year, both in a good and a bad way.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I think Rossi has looked better each game.

 

[57special]

Last night was the first time that i saw him look like him, and even then it was briefly. There was the quick little pass to Nyquist, then a couple of possessions in the O zone where he seemed to find space for himself and carry the puck for a while.

He plays a cerebral, puck possession game, and uses his teammates like pieces on a chessboard. Not a crash banger, or a lightning fast sniper who pulls away from defenders. He will be the guy who sets up others, and gets a ton of assists(I hope). These games have been just what he has needed to recalibrate his game to the demands of the NHL, though he still has a ways to go.

I haven't lost hope with him, but I will say again, size can not be ignored when it comes to drafting. It's not the only thing, but it is an important thing. All the AHL'ers looked like boys out there in puck battles against a sub par NSH squad missing a lot of starters. You could see how fast and strong a small man like Dewar looked in comparison to them.

 

[TaLoN]

This could be the make or break off season for Rossi. At the beginning of last season, he was very much overthinking everything. At the end of last season, he seemed "better" but not a lot. He did show flashes with quality zone entries, but was pretty ineffective once the zone was established. Didn't seem to be able to find himself open ice to make things happen. He did decent in the circle though.

He needs to show vast improvement at the start of next season and the team really needs him to make the jump to a quality effective NHL player sooner rather than later at this point.

 

[57special]

Just had another assist. Has figured in on 80% of their goals. Before you get too excited. Peter Schneider(??), has figured in on every goal.

 

[AKL]

Just had another assist. Has figured in on 80% of their goals. Before you get too excited. Peter Schneider(??), has figured in on every goal.

Kaprizov-Rossi-Schneider
Johansson-Ek-Boldy

??

 

[Wasted Talent]

Kaprizov-Rossi-Schneider
Johansson-Ek-Boldy

??

Reminds me of the old days when people wanted to collect all of Koivu's linemates from the national team.

 

[AKL]

Reminds me of the old days when people wanted to collect all of Koivu's linemates from the national team.

Raffl-Rossi-Schneider
Boldy-Ek-Zwerger
Kaprizov-Huber-Huber
Wukovits-Gaudreau-Ganahl

Maier-Faber
Brodin-Heinrich
Wolf-Addison

Starkbaum
Gustavsson

??

 

[keppel146]

We’re in trouble if his biggest goal is against Hungary

 

[Wasted Talent]

Rossi went for a Kucherov-esque fake in the shootout but wasn't even close to scoring. He did get selected as Austria's best player of the match. Also selected as one of the team's 3 best players (I don't think they are in order, just 3 selections)

We’re in trouble if his biggest goal is against Hungary

Considering the loser of this match was relegated, scoring here is just about the most clutch thing Rossi could do relative to the team's expectations.

I also wouldn't read into it too much, Austria is badly outmatched in a tournament like this. 6 points in 7 games seems roughly comparable to how guys like Vanek and Kopitar used to perform on similarly outmatched national teams.

 

[TaLoN]

He did have solid zone entries in his last game in St.Paul, so this is consistent with that at least.