Eishockey
Marco Rossi has set himself the goal of making his breakthrough in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the coming season. After convincing performances in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, the 20-year-old from Vorarlberg is hoping for a place on the NHL team Minnesota Wild.
The performance in the training camps, which start in mid-September, is also decisive for this. “Personally, I rate my chances of a place in the squad as very good,” said Rossi at a press conference in Vienna on Saturday. A new opportunity is opening up for the center thanks to well-known departures at Minnesota. The Wild is still missing a twelfth striker in the squad.
In addition, Minnesota will have to cut salaries in the coming season and thus increasingly rely on young talent. Last season, the Vorarlberger already made two appearances for the Wild in the NHL and was only the eighth Austrian to ever play in this league.
With a lot of confidence in the training camp
Rossi is traveling to the USA on September 4th for immediate pre-season preparation and will start the Minnesota Wild training camp ten days later. There he has the chance to prove his skills and his current form and to be recommended for an open place in the NHL roster. The legionnaire of the Austrian Ice Hockey Association (ÖEHV) looked forward to the camp with anticipation and was certain: “If I perform well there, I’ll get the place.”
In the preseason, Rossi had recommended himself to the Minnesota Wild farm team for higher tasks. In the AHL, he played 63 games for Iowa Wild, scoring 53 points and becoming the highest-pointed rookie in club history. Despite strong performances from the center, the team missed out on making the playoffs by one point. Rossi was able to learn a lot: “I was able to play a lot, was on the ice in every situation. For me individually, the AHL was the best, now I’m mentally more ready.”
Health problems overcome
The preparations over the past few weeks, most of which took place in Austria, went very well. The current constitution is correct, said the Vorarlberger. “I’ve never been as good together as I am now.” That hasn’t always been the case lately. After the 20-year-old was drafted ninth-ranked by Minnesota in the NHL draft in October 2020, he shortly afterwards struggled with a heart muscle infection caused by the corona virus, which put him out of action for several months. A wrist injury also bothered him at the end of the season. Both restrictions no longer play a role.
Minnesota Wild starts the new NHL season on October 13 with a home game against the New York Rangers. The team’s goal is to make the playoffs. If the club’s supporters, who have a high opinion of Rossi, have their way, the season opener will take place with the Austrian. “According to the fans, I’m already in the squad,” said the 20-year-old.