{"id":561065,"date":"2026-03-26T02:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T02:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561065\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T02:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T02:14:08","slug":"rossi-explains-his-unique-role-in-the-vancouver-canucks-locker-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561065\/","title":{"rendered":"Rossi explains his unique role in the Vancouver Canucks locker room"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Vancouver Canucks know a thing or two about going through tough times. So does Marco Rossi.<\/p>\n

However, the on-ice struggles of a professional hockey team don\u2019t really compare to what Rossi has endured.<\/p>\n

The Austrian centre had his entire draft plus-one season derailed by myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. At the time it was discovered, doctors told him he could die if he played one more game.<\/p>\n

After missing almost an entire year of hockey, Rossi managed to recover and prove his worth as an NHLer.<\/p>\n

So, did the experience make him a better, more battle-tested hockey player?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know about a better hockey player, but I think it made me a better person,\u201d Rossi told Daily Hive. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith everything I went through, you see everything different. My point of view in life just changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re young, you don\u2019t really appreciate as much when you\u2019re healthy, but when you go through a lot, you appreciate the little things way more, and it gives you a different perspective of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rossi\u2019s more appreciative viewpoint of the world around him has allowed him to bring a fresh perspective to the Canucks locker room.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to forget that Rossi is still in just his third full NHL season, especially after listening to him talk about his role in the Canucks locker room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, it\u2019s such a great opportunity here,\u201d he said. \u201cYou see so many young guys, and you can really trust and see that we can build something here, and that\u2019s a lot of fun to be part of.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy role is just try to help the young guys as much as I can, because I know how they feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spoken like a grizzled vet.<\/p>\n

At 24 years old, Rossi is still one of the younger guys on the team. But over the last few weeks, he\u2019s been leading on the scoreboard for Vancouver, and he\u2019s sounded like a leader<\/a> when addressing the media postgame<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ROSSI GOALS IN 3\ufe0f\u20e3 STRAIGHT GAMES! \ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/Dbga5kfVc7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He recognizes that his spot on the team as a leader is unique among most of his Canucks teammates.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in between the young guys and the older guys, so I understand both sides. So, I think that\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

His growing leadership role hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed by head coach Adam Foote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think Marco\u2019s finally starting to understand how we\u2019re going, and he\u2019s getting a feel for it,\u201d Foote said. \u201cHe\u2019s feeling more comfortable around the guys and being a leader. And you see his character showing for sure, because it seems like he\u2019s feeling more comfortable here as a Canuck.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although he\u2019s still young by NHL standards, Rossi has been around good influences who have taught him about leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played with a lot of good leaders,\u201d he said. \u201cEspecially last year in Minnesota, there were some great leaders, like [Jared Spurgeon], [Mats] Zuccarello, [Marcus] Foligno.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a lot of good guys, and even [Marc-Andre] Fleury, like, he\u2019s a goalie, but he talks so much, and he helps everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, you just see and try to learn as much as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

You might also like:Rossi has turned Boeser’s season around since Vancouver Canucks united them<\/a><\/p>\n

He also had a special relationship with an ex-Canucks forward along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up, it was always Thomas Vanek,\u201d Rossi said. \u201cI mean, he was, at that time, the best Austrian NHL player. So I always looked up to him, I saw he made it, and I said, I can make it too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rossi actually lived with Vanek during his time in Minnesota, and he previously helped Rossi get through a slump in his rookie season.<\/p>\n

The one-time Canucks winger didn\u2019t give Rossi too much insight into his time in Vancouver.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s so busy, but he always told me, just go out there, have fun, and everything will be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully for the Canucks, it does seem like they\u2019re having a bit more fun of late.<\/p>\n

Zeev Buium, Tom Willander and defenceman Elias Pettersson were spotted practice-fighting earlier this week. And at practice on Wednesday, Buium and Rossi got in a couple of friendly wrestling matches.<\/p>\n

Rossi has a first-hand look at Buium\u2019s potential in Minnesota, and believes that the talented young defenceman has learned a lot here in Vancouver so far.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think for him at first, it wasn\u2019t easy. Especially when you lose, you think too much about it,\u201d Rossi explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he understands the situation more and more, and you can see it out there. \u201cLik, he doesn\u2019t play with as much pressure anymore. He just goes out there to have fun, and he tries to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

As this group of young Canucks continues to learn together, don\u2019t be surprised if Rossi is one of the guys who helps usher in the new era.<\/p>\n