Quoting: MNBassman
I’m with you on pumping the brakes about expectations for Rossi...I do not project him as a true #1 center, but i do believe he will be a very good player. His processor speed, work ethic, and competitiveness are off the charts. However, to compare him to Schroeder makes no sense at all. The only thing they have in common is size...or lack-there-of. Schroeder had a very slow motor for processing the game and was an exceptionally fast skater. They are polar opposites more than they are similar...
Quoting: jnowariak
I saw an analytics guy projecting Rossi as the best rookie scorer this year around 50 points, before his injury obviously. And at a certain level, that makes sense. He’s the most NHL ready of the draft class, processes the game well, and he’s gonna have KK/Fiala on his wing. So while I’m gonna play wait and see, I’m also a believer that he’s gonna be a top 6 guy immediately. I also think he could be a point per game guy in a couple years with the right supporting cast, which is a #1 center IMO.
And spot on with Schroeder and holding a bit of skepticism, but it does feel a bit different with this pipeline we’ve got now.
This is where I think people need to temper their expectations, and could maybe stand to learn about and understand the nuances and differences about projected player ceilings. And to learn to trust the opinions of professional scouts and analysts who do this for a living.
Even still, not to fall into the trap of listening to the thoughts and opinions of just one either. Because they are just that. Instead, listen to many. Their analysis will differ depending on their own preferences but will help to understand what the actual likely median truly is.
This method has yet to steer me wrong. It's allowed me to have faith in Boldy, when he started off slow last year then took off when put into the correct situation he needed to be put in, in order to succeed. It's why I have faith in Rossi now.
Everything I heard about Rossi, said his ceiling is as a
Low-End 1C. That right away tells me quite a few things about the kid, and I'm able to temper my expectations because of it. Once he hits his prime he'll be in the same range of centers like Scheifele, Barzal and Larkin. That isn't anything to sneeze at, and he's still the best center/prospect we'll have ever had. He's either going to be a really really good 2C (on a top contending team) or a legitimate top line center and player for us.
Furthermore, within that Low-end tier of centers, Rossi is more akin to somebody like Barzal or Larkin than say Scheifele.