Marco Rossi could become the highest Austria-born player chosen in the NHL Draft.
Thomas Vanek, a native of Vienna, was selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the No. 5 pick in the 2003 NHL Draft. He leads Austria-born players in NHL goals (373), assists (416), points (789) and games (1,029).
"Everything he's achieved in the NHL is unbelievable," Rossi said of Vanek. "But I know I must do my own footsteps."
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Rossi, born in Feldkirch on Sept. 23, 2001, is No. 6 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. The center led all Canadian Hockey League players with 120 points (39 goals, 81 assists) in 56 games for Ottawa of the Ontario Hockey League. His average of 2.14 points per game ranked second behind Alexis Lafreniere (2.15), a forward for Rimouski of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the projected No. 1 pick in 2020.
"I think what makes me different than other players is my play below the hash marks," Rossi said. "People always talk about my size but I have a lot of confidence in saying I feel I'm one of the best down low, in the corners and in winning battles. With my size (5-foot-9, 183 pounds), I might have to work harder than others, but I'm good at winning the battles and I feel I compete very hard."
Rossi began playing hockey when he was 3 years old. His father, Michael, was a professional hockey player in Austria for 20 years. Marco played minor hockey for seven years before joining a league in Switzerland, 15 minutes from home, at age 10. When he turned 13, he moved to Zurich with his father for a more rigorous training program with the GCK Lions.
Rossi went on to win the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player in the OHL. He became the first European to lead the CHL in scoring since Alexander Radulov scored 152 points (61 goals, 91 assists) for Quebec of the QMJHL in 2005-06.
Ottawa coach Andre Tourigny said he sees similarities between Rossi and New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier, a player he coached in Halifax in 2016-17 before joining the 67's the following season.
"Marco's more offensively creative than Nico at the same age**
