Marco Rossi Bio
Marco Rossi is an Austrian professional ice hockey player who plays centre for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in Feldkirch, Austria, on 23 September 2001, Rossi began skating at age three and built his game across European and North American development systems before reaching the NHL. He is known for his scoring touch, his leadership, and his steady two-way play at the centre position.
After rising through the Swiss junior ranks and starring in the Ontario Hockey League, Rossi was selected ninth overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut in January 2022 and spent several seasons developing with the Wild organization before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in December 2025. He has also represented Austria in multiple international tournaments.
Early Life and Background
Marco Rossi was born on 23 September 2001, in Feldkirch, a town in western Austria near the Swiss border. He grew up in a hockey household as the youngest of three children of Michael and Claudia Rossi. His father, Michael Rossi, played ice hockey for twenty years, mostly with VEU Feldkirch, which gave Marco early and constant exposure to the sport. Marco first stepped onto the ice as a young child, and his father’s career helped shape his path.
Rossi has two older sisters, Estelle and Marielle. From a very young age he trained seriously, and his family supported his ambition to develop as a player. The border-town location of Feldkirch also made it natural for him to look across to Switzerland for stronger youth competition as he grew older.
As a child, Rossi moved around his home region and trained with local clubs before committing to a more demanding development route. His parents backed his decision to chase a professional career, even when it meant long commutes and time away from home.
Path to Hockey
At the age of ten, in 2011, Rossi moved to Switzerland to chase a higher level of competition. He joined the junior system of the ZSC Lions in Zürich and frequently played in age groups above his own, which sped up his development. He later spent time with the GCK Lions, the second-highest team in Switzerland, where he made his professional debut during the 2017–18 season at sixteen, recording seven points in eighteen games.
After that rookie professional season, Rossi was selected eighteenth overall by the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League in the CHL Import Draft. In 2018–19 he moved to North America and played fifty-three games for Ottawa, scoring sixty-five points and adding twenty-two points in seventeen playoff games. He was named to the OHL Second All-Star Team for his play.
Rossi returned to Ottawa for the 2019–20 season and led the entire Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 120 points in 56 games. He won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, the CHL Top Scorer Award, and the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s most outstanding player. He became the first European-born player to lead the OHL in scoring, a milestone that pushed him to the top of draft boards.
Marco Rossi Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
Rossi opened his professional career with the GCK Lions of the Swiss League in 2017–18, posting seven points in eighteen games as a teenager. That season was enough to convince scouts that he was ready for major-junior hockey in North America, and he was picked in the CHL Import Draft by Ottawa.
With the Ottawa 67’s, Rossi quickly became one of the Ontario Hockey League’s most dangerous offensive players. His scoring, playoff production, and all-around game earned him All-Star recognition and positioned him as one of the top prospects for the 2020 NHL Draft.
Minnesota Wild Era (2020–2025)
Heading into the 2020 NHL Draft, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked Rossi as the sixth-best North American-based skater. The Minnesota Wild selected him ninth overall in the first round, then signed him to a three-year entry-level contract on 23 October 2020. After a brief loan to the ZSC Lions, Rossi joined the Wild’s training camp, but long-term complications from COVID-19 forced him to return to Austria and delay his North American pro start.
Rossi began the 2021–22 season with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League, scoring twenty-three points in twenty-one games. He was recalled to Minnesota in January 2022 and made his NHL debut on 6 January 2022, against the Boston Bruins. He appeared in two NHL games before returning to Iowa, and on 22 August 2025, he signed a three-year contract to remain with the Wild organization.
Vancouver Canucks Era (2025–Present)
On 12 December 2025, Marco Rossi was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, along with Liam Öhgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round draft pick, in exchange for Quinn Hughes. The move brought Rossi to a new organization midway through his three-year contract and put him in a fresh role as a top-six centre.
Rossi joined the Canucks ready to contribute offensively and to help drive the team’s push up the standings. His blend of scoring, playmaking, and face-off work made him a natural fit for a club looking to add top-line talent.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rossi is a 5-foot-9, 183-pound centre who shoots left and plays a quick, skilled game. He is known for his vision, his ability to create offense in tight spaces, and his reliable two-way work. His comfort playing in older age groups from a young age also gave him strong hockey sense and poise against bigger opponents.
Notable Events and Milestones
Rossi’s milestone moments include becoming the first European-born player to lead the Ontario Hockey League in scoring in 2019–20, his ninth-overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, his NHL debut against the Boston Bruins in January 2022, and his trade to the Vancouver Canucks in December 2025.
Marco Rossi Career Wins
Marco Rossi’s trophy case is anchored by a historic junior career with the Ottawa 67’s. His awards and statistical leadership in the Ontario Hockey League stand as the foundation of his professional resume.
OHL and CHL Highlights
During the 2019–20 season, Rossi won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s top scorer, the CHL Top Scorer Award as the top scorer in the Canadian Hockey League, and the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s most outstanding player. He was also named to the OHL First All-Star Team after recording 120 points in 56 games. In 2018–19 he was named to the OHL Second All-Star Team after a 65-point regular season and a strong playoff run with Ottawa.
Other Wins and Performances
Before North America, Rossi starred in the Swiss junior system and with the GCK Lions of the Swiss League. Internationally, he represented Austria at the 2017 and 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships, led Austria in scoring at the 2018 World Junior Championship Division IA, and captained Austria at the 2021 World Junior Championship.
Marco Rossi Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Rossi comes from a tight-knit sporting family. His father, Michael Rossi, played ice hockey for twenty years, mostly with VEU Feldkirch in Austria, and his mother, Claudia Rossi, raised the family in Feldkirch. Marco is the youngest of three children, with two older sisters, Estelle and Marielle, who have been part of his support system throughout his career.
Personal Life
Rossi is a devout Christian and does not drink alcohol. He is known to pray with his girlfriend before every game, and he has spoken openly about how his faith carried him through his battle with long-term COVID-19 complications in 2020. Off the ice, Rossi follows Formula One and is a fan of Red Bull Racing.
2025 Season Performance
Rossi entered the 2025 calendar year as a member of the Minnesota Wild organization, where he continued his development as a reliable scoring centre. In August 2025, he signed a three-year contract to remain with the Wild, signalling his role in the team’s long-term plans. His early-season form reflected his growth as a two-way player with top-six upside.
On 12 December 2025, that chapter closed when he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks as part of a major deal that sent Quinn Hughes to Minnesota. Joining the Canucks gave Rossi a fresh start and a chance to play a larger offensive role in a new system.
Looking ahead, Rossi is expected to play a central role for Vancouver through the remainder of 2025 and into the 2025–26 season, with his contract running through 2028. His mix of speed, skill, and hockey IQ positions him as a key building block for the Canucks’ forward group.
