Marco Rossi had to take the long road to the NHL. 

While most top-10 picks make the NHL within a couple of years of draft day, it’s taken until Rossi’s draft-plus-four to crack the NHL full-time. 

Complications from COVID-19, including a myocarditis diagnosis, threatened his career and erased nearly his entire 2021-22 season. Then, he spent two years in the AHL despite his immediate success as a top-line scorer. 

Now, not even a full season into his NHL career, Rossi’s regularly holding top-line centre duties – and thriving. He’s leading even-strength point-getting on the Wild, leading the forwards in 5-on-5 goals for share. 

The key to Rossi’s early success hasn’t just been his skill level but his nuanced checking game. 

The calibre of Rossi’s checking game has always separated him from other