Marco Rossi makes Minnesota Wild's NHL roster

Austria's Player of the Year 2021 finished pre-season as Minnesota Wild's leading scorer with nine points (two goals, seven assists) from six games, earning himself a chance at greater things.

On Sunday, the Vorarlberg native was informed by Wild General Manager Bill Guerin and Head Coach Dean Evason that he had made the NHL roster. Guerin praised Rossi: "You did everything we asked of you. You came back from a difficult situation; it was a long journey. But you were great, so you are on the team. You did everything right, you earned it!"

In his statement, GM Guerin recalled Rossi's long journey and difficult situation at the end of 2020 and in the spring of 2021: Following his appearance as captain of Austria's U20 national team at the IIHF World Juniors around the turn of the year 2020/2021, Rossi cautiously worked his way back into professional hockey in the spring after contracting COVID-19 in November 2020 and suffering its long-term effects.

Rossi fought his way back relentlessly

Myocarditis caused by the infection had forced him to take a five-month break. At the end of May, he was given the all-clear by doctors, returned to the ice and prepared for Minnesota Wild's NHL rookie camp in his Vorarlberg home region.

In August, the centre was called up by head coach Roger Bader for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Bratislava. Rossi made his ÖEHV national team debut in the friendly against Hungary and recorded an assist. In the second warm-up game against Italy, the Feldkirch native scored his first goal in Austria's red and white.

After missing out on Olympic qualification, Rossi joined Minnesota Wild's NHL camp in mid-September 2021 and, following the final cut, was initially sent to the Iowa Wild farm team in Des Moines in the AHL, where he was the joint leading scorer with Kyle Rau on 53 points (18 goals, 35 assists).

457 days after Minnesota Wild selected Rossi ninth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, he made his NHL debut on 6 January 2022 in the 3:2 game against the Boston Bruins. After two games, he returned to the farm team, where he continued to impress with consistently strong performances.

The 2022/2023 NHL regular season begins for Minnesota on 14 October (Thursday, 13 October at 19:00 local time) at home at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul against the New York Rangers.

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