Marco Rossi is essentially already a household name in Minnesota without ever having taken a step on the ice as a member of the Wild at the NHL level. After being essentially plopped down in Bill Guerin’s lap like a child waiting to see a mall Santa during the 2020 NHL Draft, falling down to ninth overall while being projected to go as high as third, Rossi has had one hell of a year.
He contracted COVID-19 while playing in Switzerland, thought he recovered, was given bad medical advice, played for Austria at the 2021 World Juniors in Edmonton, experienced some symptoms, and then lost an entire season of hockey due to a myocarditis diagnosis.