NHL.com’s resident draft guru, Mike G. Morreale, employed NHL Central Scouting’s Joey Tenute to answer 2020 draft-related questions yesterday, and the pair focused on the Ontario Hockey League’s top prospects, including two possible Red Wings picks.
First, Morreale and Tenute discussed Marco Rossi’s size and strength…
Q: Ottawa center Marco Rossi is No. 6 in Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters. He led the OHL with 120 points (39 goals, 81 assists) in 56 games. Do you think his size (5-9, 183) will deter him from taking his game to the next level?
“I don’t believe so. He’s got that low center of gravity and looks like he’s got a strong core and strong legs. He’s just a dynamic skater, has that elusive ability and it’s hard for guys really to hit him. He very rarely is eliminated from the play and has a strong determination to his game. I see Marco always looking for an edge over his opponents, he’s feisty and has that grit game. Marco plays at a high pace and doesn’t need a lot of time on the ice to make plays happen. He’s got that goal-scoring ability and playmaking ability and he wants to win and that’s what I think sets him apart and why his size won’t be an issue for him at the next level.”
And they addressed the hype (or lack thereof) surrounding Cole Perfetti:
Q: Saginaw center Cole Perfetti scored 111 points (37 goals, 74 assists) in 61 games and was the second-leading scorer in the OHL, yet hasn’t garnered a lot of attention. Based on your viewings, how special a player is he?
“I think Perfetti (5-10, 177) grabbed the attention of our whole country at the start of the season with his clutch performance for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (12 points; eight goals, four assists in five games) in August and he really just carried it into this season. I was excited every time he came onto the ice during my viewings to see what he could do and what he was going to do. He’s a player that’s targeted and he draws the attention from the other players. They want to eliminate him and take as much time and space away from him as possible because he’s a guy that gets it done. He’s elusive with his stops and starts and his ability to turn and change directions. He draws the attention of everyone on the ice, including scouts and fans and everybody’s looking at him. He’s a guy that’s stepping up off the blue line, back door, and putting it on his tape and it’s in the net. His statistics backed it up and he’s got a bright future.”
