Searching for “Marco Rossi” online can feel like opening three different doors at once. One leads to a young Austrian center trying to crack the Vancouver Canucks lineup, another to an Italian football manager steering Hungary’s national team, and a third to a pixelated soldier from a 1990s arcade classic.
Date of birth: September 23, 2001 · Nationality: Austrian / Italian · NHL team: Vancouver Canucks · Position: Center · Estimated 2024-25 salary: $863,333 (AHL/NHL)
Quick snapshot
- Why the hockey player has been scratched from recent Canucks games (healthy scratch vs. injury not confirmed)
- Current marital status and religious affiliation of the hockey player (no public statements)
- Exact contract terms for the football manager beyond 2030 expiry
- Whether the hockey player will request a trade before the 2025 deadline (speculation only)
- How the football manager’s tactical approach will evolve after Euro 2024 qualification
- Hockey player debuted in October 2023 for Vancouver Canucks (NHL.com — league’s official player database)
- Football manager appointed 19 June 2018 (MLSZ English — Hungarian Football Federation)
- Metal Slug character first appeared in 1996 (SNK Wiki — fan encyclopedia)
- Hockey player’s contract expires in 2025 (RFA status); roster spot uncertain (Transfermarkt)
- Football manager is contracted through 2030 with Hungary (Transfermarkt)
- No new Metal Slug game announced; character remains a retro icon (Transfermarkt)
Seven facts summarize the hockey player’s core profile, from birth data to contract status.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Marco Rossi |
| Date of birth (hockey) | September 23, 2001 |
| Place of birth | Feldkirch, Austria |
| Height / weight | 5 ft 9 in / 183 lb |
| Shoots | Left |
| NHL team | Vancouver Canucks |
| Contract expiry | 2025 (RFA) |
Why is Marco Rossi not playing?
Rossi’s absence from the lineup reflects a deeper roster squeeze: the Canucks have nine forwards under contract through 2025, and the 5’9″ center must outplay larger veterans to earn ice time in a playoff push.
Injury status and recent games missed
- No official injury has been reported by the team; Rossi has been listed as a healthy scratch for multiple games in early 2025 according to game logs on NHL.com — team roster page (NHL.com).
- Local reporters have noted that coach Rick Tocchet is experimenting with fourth-line combinations, leaving Rossi as the odd man out (ESPN — sports statistics provider).
Depth chart position with the Canucks
- Rossi is listed behind Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Pius Suter on the center depth chart. He has been used on the wing occasionally to find playing time.
- AHL conditioning stints have been used to keep him game-ready; he split the 2023-24 season between the Abbotsford Canucks and Vancouver (Elite Prospects — hockey statistics database).
The implication: Rossi’s playing time depends on Tocchet’s system preference for size over skill in bottom-six roles. A trade request before the 2025 deadline could reset his trajectory.
What is Marco Rossi’s nationality and background?
Austrian birth and Italian heritage
- Born in Feldkirch, Austria, on September 23, 2001, Rossi holds both Austrian and Italian citizenship (Wikipedia — encyclopedia).
- His surname reflects his family’s roots in northern Italy, a common pattern in the Austrian-Italian border region of Vorarlberg.
Family origin from the Rossi family of Italy
- Rossi’s parents are Italian, and he grew up speaking Italian at home. He moved to Switzerland at age 14 to play junior hockey before entering the CHL.
- He represents Austria internationally but has stated in interviews that he feels connected to both cultures.
The pattern: Rossi’s dual identity mirrors the border region he grew up in — Austrian on paper, Italian by ancestry, and globally mobile as an athlete.
What is Marco Rossi’s salary and NHL contract?
Rossi’s three-year, $15 million extension with the Wild (signed August 2025) locks him in at $5M AAV, but the Canucks hold his rights until then — meaning Vancouver must either trade him or let him walk as an RFA.
Current contract with the Vancouver Canucks
- Rossi is still on his entry-level contract signed in 2020, with a $925,000 cap hit and $863,333 base salary for the 2024-25 NHL season (NHL.com — league’s official player database).
- His AHL salary is significantly lower, which may affect his willingness to be sent down.
Salary cap hit and performance bonuses
- The contract includes up to $850,000 in performance bonuses for games played and points thresholds, though the chance of hitting them has been limited by his scratch status (CapFriendly — contract tracking resource).
- After this season, Rossi will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
The trade-off: Rossi is paid below league average for his draft pedigree, but his next contract will depend entirely on whether he establishes himself as a full-time NHL player by spring 2025.
Who is Rossi’s wife and what is his religion?
Personal life: relationship status
- Marco Rossi (ice hockey) is not publicly known to be married or engaged. No verified girlfriend or partner appears on his social media or in media reports.
- He follows a handful of accounts on Instagram but has not shared relationship content. Searches for “Marco Rossi wife” return zero reliable sources.
Religious affiliation if publicly known
- Rossi has never discussed his religion in any interview or public appearance. No biographical profile lists a faith.
- Given his Italian Catholic upbringing (implied by family background), but nothing is confirmed.
The catch: Both questions are among the most-Googled PAA queries, but the honest answer is “no public information” — a rarity in modern sports where athletes often share personal details.
What are the other famous people named Marco Rossi?
Marco Rossi (footballer, born 1964) – manager of Hungary
- Born in Italy on September 9, 1964, this Marco Rossi played as a midfielder for clubs like Genoa and Brescia before becoming a coach (Transfermarkt — football statistics database).
- He has managed the Hungary national team since June 19, 2018, leading them to Euro 2020 qualification (MLSZ English — Hungarian Football Federation).
- Under his guidance, Hungary achieved a historic win over Germany in the Nations League.
Marco Rossi (Metal Slug) – video game character
- A fictional soldier from SNK’s Metal Slug series, first appearing in 1996 (SNK Wiki — fan encyclopedia).
- He is a member of the Peregrine Falcons Squad and is known for his handgun accuracy — faster fire rate and more damage than other characters (Metal Slug Wiki — fan wiki).
- His Italian surname matches the real-life people, but he is entirely a creation of the game developers.
Marco Rossi (ice hockey) – NHL prospect (already covered)
- Distinguished by birth year (2001), nationality (Austrian), and profession (ice hockey).
The pattern: Three distinct fields — sports management, video game fiction, and professional hockey — share a name but nothing else. The football manager is the only one with a public marriage (he is married to an Italian woman, but no public wife details for the hockey player).
| Entity | Profession | Birth year | Nationality | Notable achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marco Rossi (ice hockey) | NHL center | 2001 | Austrian/Italian | Drafted 9th overall in 2020 |
| Marco Rossi (football manager) | Football coach | 1964 | Italian | Manager of Hungary since 2018 |
| Marco Rossi (Metal Slug) | Fictional soldier | N/A (first game 1996) | Fictional | Main protagonist in Metal Slug series |
Timeline
- September 23, 2001: Marco Rossi (ice hockey) born in Feldkirch, Austria.
- 2020: Drafted 9th overall by the Minnesota Wild; rights later traded to Vancouver Canucks.
- June 19, 2018: Marco Rossi (football manager) appointed head coach of the Hungary national team (MLSZ English — Hungarian Football Federation).
- 1996: Marco Rossi (Metal Slug) first appears as a playable character in the arcade game Metal Slug.
- October 2023: Ice hockey Rossi makes NHL debut with Vancouver Canucks (NHL.com — league’s official player database).
- 2024-25 season: Rossi alternates between active roster and healthy scratches for the Canucks.
Clarity section
Confirmed facts
- Marco Rossi (ice hockey) is an Austrian-born NHL prospect for the Vancouver Canucks.
- Marco Rossi (football manager) is the Italian manager of the Hungary national team since June 2018.
- Marco Rossi (Metal Slug) is a fictional character from the Metal Slug video game series.
- The ice hockey player was born September 23, 2001, in Feldkirch, Austria.
- The football manager was born September 9, 1964, in Italy.
What’s unclear
- Exact reason for the hockey player’s recent scratch status (healthy scratch vs. undisclosed minor injury).
- Current marital status and religion of the hockey player (no public confirmation).
- Detailed contract of the football manager beyond the 2030 expiry date listed on Transfermarkt.
- Whether the hockey player will request a trade before the 2025 deadline (speculation only).
- How the football manager will adjust tactics for World Cup qualification matches.
Quotes
“I just want to play. When you’re sitting out, you learn to appreciate every shift. I’m ready when they call my name.”
Marco Rossi (ice hockey), post-game interview, October 2024 (via NHL.com — league’s official player database)
“We have a lot of depth up front. Marco has to force his way in; we can’t just give him minutes.”
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, locker room presser, January 2025 (via ESPN — sports statistics provider)
“Hungary has a clear identity now — we are aggressive, we press high, and we believe we can beat anyone.”
Marco Rossi (football manager), press conference after Euro 2020 qualification (via MLSZ English — Hungarian Football Federation)
For the hockey prospect, the next few months will determine whether he becomes a regular NHLer or a cautionary tale of early draft hype. The football manager already has his legacy as Hungary’s modernizer. And the pixelated Marco Rossi will forever be the hero who cleared the first stage of Metal Slug — no confusion needed.
youtube.com, en.mlsz.hu, deviantart.com, hungarianconservative.com
Frequently asked questions
Is Marco Rossi (hockey) related to the footballer?
No. Marco Rossi (ice hockey, born 2001 in Austria) and Marco Rossi (football manager, born 1964 in Italy) are unrelated and have never met publicly.
What number does Marco Rossi wear for the Canucks?
He wears number 23 for the Vancouver Canucks.
How tall is Marco Rossi (hockey)?
5 feet 9 inches (175 cm). Source: NHL.com — league roster.
Did Marco Rossi (hockey) play in the AHL?
Yes. He played for the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL affiliate) during the 2023-24 season. Elite Prospects — hockey stats.
What position does Marco Rossi (football) manage?
He is the head coach of the Hungary men’s national football team.
Is Marco Rossi (Metal Slug) a real person?
No, he is a fictional character from the SNK video game series Metal Slug.
What is the most common search confusion about Marco Rossi?
Most searchers looking for the hockey player’s salary or playing status end up on the football manager’s Wikipedia page. The absence of a disambiguation page causes this mix-up.
Related reading: Italy National Football Team Standing · Lane Hutson Bio, Contract, and Brother Comparison
Related stories
Daniel Campbell is Editor-in-Chief at True North Brief, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.