HW 2011 Prospects: Rocco Grimaldi

With each post, you will get to understand what type of player he is, and how he can help the Wild. You'll understand his strengths, flaws and get to understand what type of player he'll develop into.

The HW's Rank - The average rank of several of our favorite available rankings, weighted appropriately.

Summary Scout Notes - A broken down version of comments offered by each service. To read the whole explanations, click on the source site and search.

History And Accomplishments

HW's Take:

He may be tiny, but Rocco Grimaldi has everything that NHL teams want. The problem is, not only is he small, he's extra small at 5-6 163lbs.

He is extremely fit for his size and has the low center of gravity that helps him compete against bigger players. He's fast, offensively skilled and has tons of character. He has produced at every level he has played at as well.

But his lack of size is too hard to ignore. He may have skills and speed but when there are behemoths in the NHL like Chara, can you rely on Grimaldi? That is the biggest question concerning many and which will keep him outside the top 10.

HW's Projection

Top six forward - high risk/high reward

Summary Scouts Notes

For full explanations, click on the links:

U.S. Under-18 head coach Ron Rolston *via NHL.com)

B2011DW

Dynamic, explosive skater with elite speed, edge control and balance ... tremendous passer ... top athlete with pure power, quickness and strength ... sniper with flash-fire release, pinpoint accuracy ... can find open teammates through a maze of sticks and feet ... very good on faceoffs ... genius hockey IQ ... strong for his size ... never stops moving his feet or hustling ... tenacious in his own end ... well below average size ... durability is another concern with him
The Scouting Report

Video Evidence

Where Does He Fit With The Wild?

On the wing, in center. We could definitely use a guy with his skills. Has the potential to become one of the more dangerous players in this draft.

Good Choice At #10?

Great skill, but can we afford a risky pick like Grimaldi?

He is one of the more athletically fit players in the 2011 Draft which is great to see in a small forward. But we already have Granlund.

At #10, if he is selected, I would fully understand why. His upside is really good. But I prefer some other players in his stead.

How Does He Look As A Wild?

Comment away!