Marco Rossi cele­brates victory on NHL debut

Image information: Marco Rossi made his eagerly awaited NHL debut in the night leading into Friday - Copyright: GEPA pictures/Greg M. Cooper

Selected ninth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, Marco Rossi was set back by a coronavirus infection that caused myocarditis. In recent months, Rossi had the opportunity to impress his club and the NHL with Minnesota Wild's farm team, Iowa Wild, in the AHL. Successfully.

"I have always said that it was only a matter of time. I expected this debut. It is no great surprise to me," explains Roger Bader, who consistently stressed during Marco Rossi's time in the AHL that he would get his chance sooner or later.

"He was drafted by Minnesota Wild because he is an offensive talent. It was therefore only logical that he would be used on an offensive line and on the power play," Roger Bader continues, adding that he had also expected the considerable ice time Rossi received.

Just a few seconds after the Vorarlberg native first took to the ice, he drew a penalty and was used on the ensuing power play. His NHL debut was an immediate success: the Wild ultimately prevailed 3:2 over the Boston Bruins.

Since last night, Marco Rossi has been the eighth Austrian after Reinhard Divis, Christoph Brandner, Thomas Pöck, Thomas Vanek, Andeas Nödl, Michael Grabner and Michael Raffl to play in the NHL.