Three years ago, Marco Rossi was waiting to be cleared to skate. Diagnosed with myocarditis after what appeared to be a mild bout of COVID-19, he did exactly what doctors told him to do.

Nothing.

“I couldn’t even go for a walk,” he told the Pioneer Press in 2021.

Rossi appears to finally be on his way, and although he’s still only 22 years old, the Wild center has fought more than his share of adversity to get here. After making the NHL roster out of camp for the second time, Rossi has not only stuck, he’s having one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history.

“There’s no quit in myself,” Rossi said this week.

It’s for this reason that the Twin Cities chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Rossi for the 2023-24 Masterton Trophy, the honor named for former North Stars center Bill Masterton presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

The Wild’s first-round pick in the 2020 entry draft, ninth overall, Rossi was diagnosed with myocarditis during his first training camp physical and wondered if his NHL career was over before it had a chance to begin. Because of the inflammation in his heart, any strenuous activity could cause a cardiac arrest.

It was a lot to take in for a 19-year-old who had experienced little but success.

“When your doctor tells you, ‘We don’t know if you’re going to play hockey anymore,’ then of course you start to think, ‘Can I really play hockey again?’ ” Rossi said. “On the other side, it gives you motivation, too, because you want to prove everyone wrong and you want to make it.”

After convalescing in his native Austria, Rossi was cleared to skate in May 2021, and made the NHL roster out of camp. It lasted only 16 games, and he was sent back to the American Hockey League for more seasoning. So, after the season, Rossi remained in Minnesota for the first time, working with teammates and putting on 15 pounds of muscle.

Rossi made the team out of camp, and he’s been in St. Paul ever since.

His 20 goals this season are the second-most in Wild history for a rookie, two more than Marian Gaborik and, so far, seven fewer than teammate Kirill Kaprizov, for whom Rossi dropped the gloves on Dec. 21 in his first, and so far only, NHL fight. He also earned a goal and assist, and a lot of respect from teammates.

Rossi’s 20 goals this season have him second in NHL rookie scoring, one behind Chicago phenom Connor Bedard, and his 37 points this season rank fourth all time for a Wild rookie.

“That first two years was maybe a grind in the AHL, but I think that makes me as a person, as a player, who I am right now,” he said.

Rossi plans to return to Austria this summer, and he’ll be a part of the national team’s hunt for a spot in the 2026 Olympics in Northern Italy — another goal on his list.

Asked this week about his ceiling as a player, Rossi said, “I think it’s just the beginning because I know how good I am.”

“Deep down, I’m the best who knows myself the best, and I know. I know much more,” he added. “Of course 20 goals is nice, but next year I want to get more — 30 goals, even more. That’s my goal, (to) always keep climbing, getting better.”

Briefly

The Wild have signed goaltender Samuel Hlavaj, 22, to a two-year, entry-level contract starting next season. The 6-foot-4, 193-pound native of Martin, Slovakia, posted a 3.10 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 28 games with HC Škoda Plzeň of the Czech Extraliga this season.

Related Articles

Avalanche clinch season series with Wild and severely dent playoff chances

Solid second half has Wild’s Marc-Andre Fleury thinking hard about 2023-24

After scoring first goal on Tuesday, Wild wing Mason Shaw vows to keep fighting

With veterans out, fourth line sends Wild past Ottawa, 3-2

Wild’s Ryan Hartman on throwing stick on ice: ‘I was over-the-top frustrated’