Austria's ice hockey star signs million-dollar contract

Marco Rossi will be able to try out for the Minnesota Wild again next season. The National Hockey League (NHL) club announced this on Friday, following a previous report by The Athletic.

August 22, 2025

From: apa

According to General Manager Bill Guerin, the 23-year-old from Vorarlberg signed a three-year contract worth $15 million (€12,89 million). His previous contract expired at the end of last season, and the center's future remained unclear for a long time afterward.

Rossi was his team's second-leading scorer last season with 24 goals and 36 assists, which was also his career-best 60 points. Nevertheless, coach John Hynes demoted him to the fourth line in the first-round playoff loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The center received the third-least ice time of the entire team, but recorded two goals and one assist.

Long-running favorite in the past two seasons

In 185 career games over four seasons, Rossi scored 45 goals and added 56 assists. He is the third Austrian, alongside Thomas Vanek (11) and Michael Grabner (4), to boast multiple seasons with 20 or more goals. He has not missed a single regular-season game in the past two seasons. Rossi was drafted in the first round in 82 but was unable to play the entire 2020/1 season due to the aftereffects of a coronavirus infection.

Marco Rossi will continue playing for Minnesota. © APA / DEREK CAIN

The ÖEHV star spent the summer in Austria, where he also hosted two training camps for children in Feldkirch and Graz. NHL clubs' training camps begin in mid-September. Starting October 7, the battle for victory in the world's best league will resume.

Keywords hockey NHL Minnesota Wild Marco Rossi