The Free Press’s Helene St. James profiles draft prospect Marco Rossi this morning. The Ottawa 67’s center (and Canadian Hockey League leading scorer) has interviewed with the Red Wings several times over the summer, and the 5’9,” 183-pound center has built upon his physique thanks in part to a very, very long offseason:
“My main goal was to get faster, get more explosiveness,” Rossi said. “I started to do that right away when I came back from Canada in mid-March. We did a really good job. We’ve been working on it 6-7 months now, and it’s going really good. We can see big improvements. I’ve never felt so good on the ice. It got so much better with my body.”
To have six months in a weight room, uninterrupted by games, is unheard of for hockey players. It has allowed Rossi, listed as 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds, to gain muscle. He knows he’s on the smaller side, but similarly sized forward Brayden Point — at 5-10 and 166 pounds — has been putting on a show for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup playoffs. After Datsyuk left the Wings in 2016, Point emerged as Rossi’s new role model.
“He’s so smart,” Rossi said. “He’s the same size as me and the way he’s skating around other players is so crazy. He’s not afraid. He’s a really good playmaker and a really good shooter.”
The Wings could use a player who brings both those facets. Though they have a potential second-line center in Joe Veleno, Rossi brings another level of hockey IQ, the kind of deft passing that could make him an ideal center for Filip Zadina. Rossi is a strong-willed player who plays aggressively in all three zones, a budding star with game-breaking ability. He’s been a cunning player since shortly after he learned to skate.
Continued; I have no problem with the Wings drafting any of Rossi, Cole Perfetti, Jamie Drysdale, Jake Sanderson et. al.
Rossi is probably my top pick at 4. Perfetti is quite intriguing as well but I like Rossi’s game more. He just checks more boxes for me and he’s closer to being NHL ready. The size really isn’t an issue for me considering he weighs what 186lbs? Stutzle would be my preferred pick but it’s very very unlikely that he drops. Raymond too though, he is a right shot and the Wings desperately need some right shot forwards. Yet, even with the glaring need for right shots, I think I still go Rossi if I were to pick. Just something about him that says to me he’s gonna be a top 10-15 player in the NHL eventually. I’m so glad I’m not a GM outside of my PlayStation?
Glad to see Yzerman making some moves and gathering up more picks. I am hoping though that he’ll pull a little further back from having so many vets. I like the Gagner deal but I’m really really am ready to start seeing some of the kids come up. Really really hope we get to see Svech over Abby this year. I’d really like to see something along the lines of
Bert – Larkin – Mantha
Fabbri – Gagner – Zadina
Svech/Ras- Filp/Ras – Helm/Glenny
Smith/Svech – Ras/Ehn – Glenny/Helm
If Rossi were be selected I’d put him in the lineup somewhere. Maybe take out Helm or Smith or even Ras and put on Rossi. Each line would have 2 that can play center or wing. It would be nice though to see a change and I really don’t feel like it’s a change for the sake of change? I really believe that lineup would be better than what we just witnessed this last season? There’s just so many players lol and 90% of them are 4th liners. Again glad I’m not a GM
Question George? Who would you like the Wings to draft and why? Also, loving the content you’ve been putting out recently, good shit man!