Marco Rossi’s 3-Point Night Is What the Canucks Need During the Rebuild

The Vancouver Canucks started off the 2026-27 season with a bang against the Edmonton Oilers. Through two games, both teams combined for 27 goals. The Canucks won 6-5 in overtime on Sept. 29 in Edmonton, while the Oilers won 9-7 in a barnburner on Oct. 1 in Vancouver. While both teams were lighting it up, Canucks forward Marco Rossi showed he is someone to lean on during the team’s rebuild.

4 Points in 2 Games to Start 2026-27

Through two games, Rossi has two goals and four points. Even with the Canucks losing 9-7 to begin October, he put up a staggering three-point night, including two goals. In 15:16 of ice time in the loss, he had four shots on goal in 21 shifts. He was a big piece in a wild game between the Canucks and Oilers. He tallied his two goals within the first five minutes of the third period, then had the primary assist on the Elias Pettersson power-play goal. That stretch saw an 8-3 Oilers lead turn into an 8-6 game.

He is currently tied with Paul Cotter, Filip Hronek, and Pettersson on the Canucks in points (four). For the Canucks, their second-line center already producing at this rate is a good sign for the rebuild. After finishing the 2024-25 season with 35 points in 50 games, 22 of those with the Canucks in 33 games, a start like this goes a long way. In his final 25 games, he produced 20 points. If he stayed healthy last season, Rossi could have finished between 55 and 60 points.

The hope for the Canucks in 2026-27 is that Rossi stays healthy and continues building on his all-around game. He has the talent to become an elite NHLer. When it comes to his skill set, he has good hands, vision, and power-play instincts, something the Canucks saw when they acquired him in the Quinn Hughes trade last season.

With 82 games left in the 2026-27 season, Rossi’s start provides some optimism for the Canucks, who are seen as a bottom-five team in the league. It’s tough for a fanbase to get excited when their team is in the beginning stages of a rebuild. That said, scoring 13 goals in two games does boost morale.

Moreover, fans want the Canucks to build around Rossi, as he could become the team’s future number one center. He is in the second season of his three-year deal. Once the deal expires after the 2027-28 season, he will become an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent (RFA). While there is still time to figure out an extension, the Canucks will need to sign him long-term, especially after making him one of the big centerpieces in the trade with the Minnesota Wild.

It’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the 2026-27 season goes for the Canucks. A rebuild is never easy, especially after a deep playoff run not even three seasons ago. It’ll take a total team effort, as the team can only go up from finishing last in the NHL last season. If the first two games are any indication, this could be a rollercoaster of a season for the Canucks and the fanbase.

In the middle of it, can Rossi prove that he is the guy to build around for the present and the future? After a three-point night against the Oilers, plus starting the season with two goals and four points, that is certainly a good start. The question is, can he keep that production up through 84 games?