Marco Rossi was acquired by the Canucks as part of the package for Quinn Hughes. The player considered the prized piece in the trade is the 20-year old defenceman, Zeev Buium.
The 24-year old diminutive Austrian has never been projected to be a number one centre. However, I cannot help but compare him to another centre of similar size, skill, and draft pedigree who has developed into a true top line difference maker: Nick Suzuki.
Nick Suzuki | Marco Rossi | |
|---|---|---|
Draft year | 2017 | 2020 |
Draft position | 13th | 9th |
Height | 5'11" | 5'10" |
Weight (lbs) | 204 | 196 |
A closer look at their overall point production shows that Suzuki was a higher point producer earlier in his career compared to Rossi. However, the gap started to narrow between their "draft plus three" and "draft plus four" seasons.
Year | Nick Suzuki | Marco Rossi |
|---|---|---|
Points Per Game | Points Per Game | |
Draft | - | - |
Draft + 1 | - | 0.00 |
Draft + 2 | 0.58 | 0.05 |
Draft + 3 | 0.73 | 0.49 |
Draft + 4 | 0.74 | 0.73 |
Draft + 5 | 0.94 | 0.84* (predicting when healthy) |
Draft + 6 | 1.09 | |
Draft + 7 | 1.23 |
Rossi only played 50 games this year (his draft plus five season) after sufferinga broken toe in October and reaggravating the injury in December. Rather than compare this year with Suzuki's "D+5" season given the uncertainty surrounding the number of games he played through this injury, lets examine both of their “D+4” seasons. Data in the table below is courtesy of MoneyPuck.com, and NHL Edge.
STATS 5v5 | Nick Suzuki (2021-22) | Marco Rossi (2024-25) |
|---|---|---|
Points (G,A) | 35 (10,25) | 35 (14,21) |
TOI (mins) | 15:09 | 15:09 |
On-ice shot attempts (%) | 47% | 50% |
On-ice expected goals (%) | 43% | 53% |
On-ice goals (%) | 44% | 57% |
On-ice Goal Differential | -13 | +13 |
High danger expected goals | 2.61 | 4.81 |
Time in D zone (%, percentile) | 41.5% (<50th) | 38.3% (74th) |
Time in O zone (%, percentile) | 41.6% (<50th) | 44.4% (81st) |
Speed bursts > 20MPH (percentile) | 96th | 69th |
Max Skating Speed (percentile) | 85th | 76th |
Skating distance (percentile) | 99th | 90th |
The two of them had the same ice time at even strength and their point production was identical. Rossi spent more time in the offensive zone, generating more shots and scoring chances than Suzuki. He was also the better defensive player, spending less time in his own zone and outscoring his opponents by 13 goals. Suzuki, on the other hand, was on the ice for 13 more goals against than scored.
Suzuki is the stronger skater but Rossi is still above average in speed bursts, maximum skating speed, and skating distance.
In large part, Suzuki's increase in scoring over the last three years is related to the talent that the Canadiens have surrounded him with. Cole Caufield was drafted in 2019 and has become a 50-goal scorer. They drafted scoring wingers in Juraj Slavkovsky and Ivan Demidov. They added grit with Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach. They found their number one defenceman in Lane Hutson, and Oliver Kapanen has emerged as their second line centre.
These are pieces the Canucks plan on drafting in the next two to three years. So, if Canucks management can do the same for Rossi as Montreal's has done for Suzuki, Rossi’s production should continue to escalate.
I asked Jeff Paterson this very question for the Canucks Army Mailbag. He does not "see Rossi as a 100-point producer" and he does not think "anyone in hockey is looking at him in that way." But then again, Nick Suzuki had the ninth worst contract in the NHL after the 2021-22 season according to Dom Luszczyszyn's model and look what he's accomplished since.
Does Rossi have the potential to reach the same production as Nick Suzuki?
— Jay (@TheHeartPlumber) April 25, 2026
Marco Rossi developing into a number one centre would be "found gold" for the Canucks. As incredible a season as Nick Suzuki has had, Marco Rossi’s "draft plus four" year was better than his. A strong off season from Rossi coupled with a strong off-season from Canucks management will keep him on a similar trajectory as Suzuki and will make him the steal of the Quinn Hughes trade.
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