Rossi in fifth place

Marco Rossi is considered a strong candidate for a top-ten pick in the NHL Draft (26–27 June). This is also underlined by the Central Scouting Service (CSS) January ranking: the 18-year-old from Vorarlberg is ranked fifth in North America.

The assessment credits the Austrian with “high hockey IQ and good hands”. The North American skaters category also includes Carinthian Thimo Nickl (No. 51) and Senna Peeters, who was granted Austrian citizenship in December (No. 62).

In the International category, 19-year-old Benjamin Baumgartner of HC Davos (No. 81) and 17-year-old Leon Wallner from Södertälje’s youth system (No. 112) are included.

Rossi is playing his second season for the Ottawa 67's and, with 74 points (26 goals, 48 assists) from 32 games and an average of 2,31 points per game, is not only the leading scorer in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), but across all three major Canadian junior leagues.

Alexis Lafreniere follows with 73 points from 34 games, with CSS rating him as the number-one prospect in the draft. Rossi also leads the OHL in assists and, at +47, in plus-minus (for goals scored and conceded while on the ice).

The centre would be only the third Austrian to be selected in the first round of the draft. Thomas Vanek was the No. 5 pick in 2003 (Buffalo Sabres), while Michael Grabner was No. 14 in 2006 (Vancouver Canucks). No red-white-red talents have been drafted since Grabner (and Andreas Nödl) 14 years ago.